


This weeds so sticky

by Allsfairinloveandwar



Category: Andi Mack (TV)
Genre: And TYRUS, Daddy Issues, Fluff and Angst, Homelessness, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Implied/Referenced Homophobia, M/M, Poor families, Rating May Change, Recreational Drug Use, Rich Kid, Slightly excessive amounts of cursing, Underage Drinking, looking over all the tags I suddenly realize how this concept is fucked up. Just a bit, lord help me, possible violence.., smothering households
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-12-28
Updated: 2019-02-03
Packaged: 2019-09-29 07:04:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 22,473
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17198819
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Allsfairinloveandwar/pseuds/Allsfairinloveandwar
Summary: T.J Kippen is an 18 year old with absolutely no direction in his life. That is until he leaves the "uncomfort" of Saltwater with his bike gang, and meets a rich kid he never knew he needed in his life. Cyrus Goodman.





	1. Chapter 1

Making friends is hard. 

Like seriously it shouldn’t be this hard. It shouldn’t be hard for two people or even a group of people to sit down and begin a friend ship. Especially if they have similar interests. 

But of course like everything in life people have complications. Whatever they are they exist. And it seems like Saltwater had an overpopulation of people with the same kinds of complications. 

Not really knowing what they were doing with their lives. Thus not knowing how to be welcoming figures in someone else’s. 

That’s why we left. By we I mean me and my best friend’s, Lester and Reed. My name’s Tj and when I was 15 I joined a small motorcycle gang. Or well that’s a lie.. I started the gang, don’t tell Reed that though. 

You see Reed, Lester, and me all had the same kind of complications, so we fit together like puzzle pieces. We’re the family we’ve never known in other’s. My dad died when I was just a kid, a fire the police had told my family. But for the little bit of time I knew my old man I knew he could trick a blind man into believing he could see. 

Basically he could fake his own death easy. 

I’ve never seen my mom cry in all the years I’ve been alive and that day had been no different. I remember standing outside her bedroom door on my tiptoes just trying to hear what wasn’t happening. Not a tear from her eyes. She’d been stone faced like she already knew the truth. My dad had left, not died. 

Lester had a pretty sad childhood too. When he was four his dad knocked both his front teeth out. He always says he doesn’t remember what he did when asked but everyone knows he’s a liar. His mom had begun the process of divorcing his father which he didn’t take too kindly promptly running over the woman with his car. From there Lester was taken in by his aunt by ruling of the court and his father was put in jail. 

But due to the absolute shit that is the Saltwater prison system, he managed to get out which made Lester all the more anxious and pushing, to get out of the little town we’ve reluctantly called “home”. 

Reed is the only one out of the three of us who got through childhood pretty unscathed. When he was 15 his mom left his dad for another woman. They drove off into the sunset like newlyweds and his father went into a depression. 

Somehow the news managed to pick this up though. Seeing as Saltwater is one of the most boring towns to have ever lived and nothing like this had really ever happened. His dad became the town “joke”. Reed didn’t care about his father’s pain at all honestly. He just hated the way it made him look. 

He started getting into more fights and taking blows to what is his fragile cranium, because of moronic children screaming, “Your dad married a gay.” And “Your mom’s real reason for leaving was because your dad’s dick was too little.” 

Reed never did like being taunted. He’s been in more fights then all of us. Well… Lester’s a fucking pussy so he’s only really ever been in one fight really.

But regardless we decided we were done with Saltwater life and we packed up, hitching a ride on our motorcycles to find a better life else where. Not like anyone will miss us. We were the only one’s there for each other. 

I don’t really know how long we’ve been out here, or for that matter what town or city we plan on stopping in for good but we’re out here, and we have each other and that’s all that really matters. 

“Reed you fucking bastard. Why is this weed sticky?!” I almost tossed it to the ground but decided against it. 

We’d stopped for a moment behind an old abandoned looking building to smoke, I mean there aren’t really any cars around so it’s not like we’ll get caught. Besides hanging out with Reed for even an hour makes me wanna be high as fuck. 

“I told you to carry it..” Lester interjected with a small shake of his head. 

“Fuck did you do to it?” 

“Bro I had to store it in a special place seeing as I don’t have fucking pockets and my bags full!” Reed announced 

“The fuck did you bring?! You don’t have valuables!” Lester retorted gesturing at Reed’s bag. 

“You know! Stuff! You never know what kinda stuff we could get into in a new place!” 

He really is just the fucking worst. 

“Bro why the fuck do you have condoms??!” I hadn’t even noticed Lester had moved until he was standing with a roll of Reed’s condoms plucked between his index finger and thumb. 

“Put that back you little bitch!” 

If they weren’t basically my brother’s, I’d ditch them here and now. 

Reed practically launched himself at Lester in what could only be described as a ballerina type leap, grabbing for the condoms but completely missing as Lester switched hands at the last second. Almost dropping the roll from his carelessness, while pushing Reed away with one hand to the other boy’s chest. 

“Will you two fucking stop! Let’s just fucking leave this is fucking garbage.” I remark tossing the sticky weed to the ground and throwing a leg over seating myself on my motorcycle. 

“Thanks a lot Reed, now I gotta drive sober cause your ball sweat fucked up the good weed.” Lester commented moving towards his own motorcycle once he’d tossed the roll of condoms back to Reed. 

“You suck so much dick, my ball sweat should be something you’re accustomed with.” 

I shift my motorcycle out and back onto the road with no real warning driving slow enough that the two morons behind me can keep up even with a slow start. 

“Yo Tj! Can we stop for some food! Regardless of not being completely baked I’m fucking hungry.” Lester suggested. He’s the only one out of the three of us stupid enough to ride without a helmet every now and then. Which is hilarious because we hang out with Reed. 

I slow down to a point where crashing wouldn’t spill my brains out over the concrete and pull my helmet off my head. Sliding back to be between Reed and Lester. 

“Have you seen a restaurant or anything in the last couple miles? Where do you plan on eating? Cause there hasn’t been much of civilization for the longest.” 

“Luckily for you two I happen to know how many miles away the next restaurant is from us.” Reed announced, looking smug as shit for someone who didn’t know how to read maps only a year ago. 

Lester raised an eyebrow. “You did research?” 

“Someone had to. Or else we were going to end up dead before we made it past Saltwater’s fucking area code.” 

“The fact that you know what an area code is is baffling.” Lester interjected. 

“Shut up.” I said rolling my eyes at Lester. “Where’s our next rest stop?” 

“This little place called Peachy keen? At least I think that’s how it was pronounced. That’s how I saw it online.” 

“And at no point did you think to print out the map you got this off of?” Lester said, I shook my head squeezing the bridge of my nose with closed eyes. 

Stupidity just keeps running off Reed and hitting innocent people. 

I put my helmet back on my head, zooming forward thrusting my front wheel up into the air a bit but not before I hear Lester yell, “There are these things called libraries for people without printers!” 

*** 

On my bike everywhere feels so much closer. It’s the only thing I had that I felt free whenever I was near. And alive when I was riding. 

But today it felt like a fifteen hour ride just to finally find a place where we could sit down and get a meal. Especially with long intervals of, Reed calling out directions that ended up being completely fucking wrong, Lester arguing with Reed over Reed being completely fucking wrong, and me wanting to shoot my brains out because I’ve never been sober with these two for more than two hours. 

Lester parked his bike first rushing in to grab a seat on the stool up front. Despite all their bickering the entire ride up here, Reed immediately joined him. Sitting down on the spinning red stool, promptly taking the menu from the plump waitress behind the counter. 

Me. I need a break. A long break. So I sat myself down at a booth completely ignoring Reed and Lester when they called for me to join them. 

I don’t need to actually sit with them to know what kind of conversation is gonna transpire. Lester going to probably order the most kiddie meal on the menu because he’s still a sperm cell. And Reed will make fun of him before ordering something he won’t be able to finish. Wasting food because he’s an over privileged moron. 

Unlike 95% of Saltwater his family was considered wealthy in what would only be middle class in a good place. Before we left he emptied his dad’s bank account. Doesn’t really matter too much all things considered. His dad had three bank accounts including the one he emptied. That man will be fine with the money he still has left, probably better now that we’ve taken one of his problems away. 

The waitresses here are surprisingly fast and nice, I didn’t have to wait too long before I got a menu. 

Though it didn’t really help me much once I actually did have one. 

I know what I want. What I really want is a burger and fries. But this diner seems to think it’s a good idea to mix in non English words with each option on the menu.. 

The fuck is a, “sweet petite poisson” 

I take in the rest of the diner gazing over people with things, I definitely don’t want on their plates. A curly haired male and what looks like his new girlfriend judging by all the French kissing they’re currently doing sharing a plate of onion rings. A man seated not too far away from Reed who’s currently crying over a plate of mashed potatoes and what looks like steak. And an older man seated as far away from anything else happening in the restaurant as anyone could possibly be. Looking as though he’s plotting a couple murders with the way he’s poking his food with his fork. 

I pull my gaze away looking behind me to the next booth where a lone kid sits. He’s wearing a hood that looks more comfy then anything I’ve ever owned back home, with what looks like a blue plaid shirt underneath. He has soft looking brown hair, and his doe eyes are focused on the burger and fries sitting with a very untouched look to them, as if he ordered without realizing he wasn’t hungry. 

“Hey. Kid.” I call out and he flinches looking up at me. And suddenly I feel like I accidentally kicked a puppy. 

I stand up moving around to sit across from him in the booth. He drops the fork as he takes in what’s happening like he’s witnessing a tornado first hand. 

“Sorry to bother you. I just wanted to know how you ordered a burger and fries.” His eyes flicker over my jacket before falling to the table and I almost repeat my question after the long silence. He pushes the plate in front of him away placing the fork he was holding next to his spoon where it lay on a napkin. 

“You.. Can have it.. I’m not really hungry..” His eyes flicker up again before falling just as quickly back to the table. He’s so small. And he looks fragile. Kinda like Lester did when we first met. 

I stare at the burger in front of me before shaking my head. “Don’t you want it? You ordered it..” 

He shook his head so fast I thought he was gonna fly out of the booth. “No, I’m not hungry. Honest. Please just take it.” 

If the food didn’t look so untouched and I wasn’t as hungry as I am I might have fought him on it a little harder. Instead I just grabbed the ketchup at the corner of the booth. 

“Thanks kid.” 

He didn’t nod, didn’t flinch, like he did when I first sat down just continued to stare at the table. 

I feel like I’m in too deep to go back to where I was sitting so against everything I’ve ever done in Saltwater I said, “No offense but where are your parents? Or anyone that loves you? You seem really young to be out here in the middle of nowhere like this.” 

I say young despite what I really wanted to say which was “babyish” 

“It’s not important.” He claims squeezing the fingers he was holding together like he’d just lied to me. 

Now I’m definitely more curious. “I mean.. You look like a rich kid. I just assumed someone like you would be surrounded by people you love, who love you.” 

He cocked his head up squinting like I’d asked him a personal question. “I’m not a rich kid. This hoodie only costs 75 bucks.” 

And yet that’s still more money than my mom has spent on me in a year. 

“Besides, I chose to be alone. I don’t want to be with anyone who loves me.” He remarks using air quotes around loves me. 

“If you don’t mind me asking why is that?” His hand falls to the zipper on his hood pulling it up and down while his eyes jump back to me from the table. “You don’t have to tell me. But we’re both here, and we’re both strangers.. I have no one to spill your secrets to.” 

He raised an eyebrow pointing with his nose to Lester and Reed who were paying no attention to our conversation, idiotically throwing fries at each other. 

“I’m not telling them shit. They’re fucking idiots anyway they don’t listen to me.” A hint of a smirk flexed at the ends of his mouth and he turned to me fully. 

“Cyrus.” 

“Huh?” 

“That’s my name!” He said with a playful eye roll. 

“Oh. Oh! Tj!” I announce pointing to my chest. 

He giggled in the softest way possible and I swear every other noise in the room disappeared. 

“Nice to meet you Tj.” Now he was fully smiling and I couldn’t help but grin back. His hand came down from where it was still wrapped around his zipper to fall on the table. “Sorry about that. I just never talk to people about things if I don’t know their name.” 

I shrugged, “Don’t worry about it.” 

He let out a deep sigh fingering the table. His eyes transfixed on the light brown wood. “I live in the city.” Cyrus began nodding towards the window as he spoke. “Aliayas just a couple miles that way.” He informed me. 

I already had an image of the place in my head as though I’d been there prior. It already had beautiful blue lakes and streets so clean you could eat of them. Even if that wasn’t the case any place had to look better then Saltwater. 

“I was.. feeling a little stressed out.. what with… Stuff.. happening in my life.” 

“Why what happened?” I ask popping a fry into my mouth. 

He shakes his head with a smile. “We just met.” 

I nod even though for some reason I feel disappointed he won’t tell me. He’s nothing like anyone I’ve ever met before, in a good way. 

“You don’t have to tell me.” Cyrus begins, does brown eyes locked onto me. “But.. What happened with you? I mean.. I watched you and your friends pull up here. And I was nervous because of the-” he gestures to my entire body with both hands before reaching up to scratch the back of his head. “You know… I kinda wanna understand.. Pretty much everything.” He finishes with a defeated sigh. 

Now I’m laughing in a way I hadn’t since Reed tried to skinny dip in Saltwater Lake after the winter blizzard. “I’m apart of a motorcycle gang.” I explain breaking off to take a bit of the hamburger. “And those two dickheads, are my best friends they have been since we were kids. We all escaped from the absolute nightmare that is the town of Saltwater.” 

“Wait.. Is that the town with the gay mom that left her husband?..” 

“Shhh!!!” I laugh and so does Cyrus as we both lean closer I whisper, “That was Reed’s mom. Don’t let him know you know about that!” 

I’m pretty shocked that news the news was noteworthy enough to travel outside of Saltwater but we live in a time of the Internet so maybe I shouldn’t. 

“What’s wrong with having a gay mom?” Cyrus remarks with another soft giggle. 

“Absolutely nothing but it’s a long story and Reed doesn’t take it well.” 

Cyrus nodded doing the absolute worse job of trying to pull a straight face. “I’m not laughing anymore.” He exclaims covering his mouth with his hand. Once he’s finally gotten himself together he pushes his hands out on the table “So why’re you all the way out here with them? Looking for a break from stress too?” 

“Aren’t you asking too many questions for someone who didn’t want to answer me earlier?” 

He puts two hands up “Fine, far enough.” I pop another fry into my mouth as he turns his head peering out the surprisingly clean windows. “Which one’s your’s?” He asks pointing to the bikes parked out front. 

I tilt my head even though I already know without looking which one belongs to me. “You saw me pull up. Remember.” 

“So the one in the middle.” 

I don’t know whether he’s sly or perky. 

“Yeah, that’s me.” 

“Motorcycles are so dangerous. I mean aren’t you afraid you’ll fall off?” 

I smirk at him, “They’re just faster bikes. Have you ever ridden one before.” 

His mouth hangs open for a second as he looks from me to my motorcycle parked out front and back to me again. He’s practically standing up where he’s at in the booth. “I.. Mean.. No.. It looks so cool.. But the part of me that likes living prevails over my curiosity.” 

I let out a smooth laugh and he plops back down into the booth. “Smart. How about.. I let you ride mine.” 

“Wh-wh-” 

“Don’t freak out! I know we just met but I wouldn’t let you fall. It’s freeing and easy. And if you don’t let yourself try you’ll never know that feeling.” 

He nibbles on his bottom lip before taking in his watch which looks like it costs about the same as my motorcycle. “Oh my god! It’s that late!” He yelps jumping up from the table. I move with him, eyebrows falling as I go. “My god! I’m sorry Tj I gotta go!” 

He rushes to the door but not before slapping down a tip of more money then my mom makes in 4 weeks. “If you’re ever in Aliayas. Come find me.” He informs and with that he’s gone. 

I take in the sight of him running to a black car just out front and in a couple minutes it’s sliding onto the road smoothly and just out of reach of this diner. 

I don’t know how but Reed and Lester managed to sneak up on me. As loud as Reed is in everything that he does it makes me jolt even harder when he comes up directly behind me, with a hand on my shoulder. 

“So who’s your boyfriend?” 

I barely register if it was Reed or Lester who asked as I reply simply, “Cyrus.”


	2. I'm confused, not disappointed

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Looks like I'm keeping this story around. 
> 
> T.J's first thought at this point is it's been a week and half. They can't live on the road forever. So where should they go? 
> 
>  
> 
> I meant to leave a little note not only to myself but to the readers as well, the rating may or may not change. And I may or may not change the completion sign after this chapter. 
> 
> Thank you guys so much for all the support on the last chapter!

I didn't think about much when leaving Saltwater. Only a couple thoughts ran through my head, get Reed and Lester to a safer place. Away from the nonsense. A place where Lester can stop being so fucking scared all the time. Two, live more. Maybe that one was more for me seeing as how I've always been called uptight. Maybe I am. Three, say goodbye to Amber. 

 

She may not have been the best older sister but I know she cared about me. I didn't have the heart in me to tell her I was leaving. And if she'd been any less stubborn in all the years I'd lived with her, I would've taken her with me in a heartbeat. Cause she deserved better too. 

She was one of the people always calling me uptight. She'd sit on the edge of my ugly twin bed and straight to my face she'd tell me I looked sour and that I was constantly turning my nose up at people. I wouldn't really say she was wrong but I don't believe I turn my nose up at people. 

She was the only thing keeping me in Saltwater till the day I turned 18. 

The Day before me, Lester and Reed began our journey. I haven't been counting the days or anything but I think it's been two weeks since we actually left. In that time we've: spent way too much time sober. (Thanks to Reed). Drove our motorcycles along dusty old roads with nothing but the revving of the engine around to block out the silence. And watched Reed get into it with a homeless man because he tried to lend us money. Honestly I didn't think we looked **that** poor. 

And through it all I've been wondering where the hell are we actually going? 

"Yo!" Reed yelled knocking me out of my thoughts. We were slowly pulling over to a gas station after what has been the longest I don't know how many hours of my life. 

"What?" I responded slinging my helmet up and off my head, clicking the strap together and placing it on the handle bar. 

"Where the fuck are we going?" Reed spit, pulling his motorcycle up to a pump. 

I don't care what the saying is Reed is nowhere near a great mind. 

"I mean have we decided? We can't exactly keep riding around aimlessly. I hope you planned on us actually having a place to live at some point." 

Honestly I'd only thought but so far ahead. I figured the rest would begin to fall into place. "Why do I have to think of everything? You're the one who was looking at a map. I figure you had a destination in mind." 

I pull my bike up to the pump next to his with a soft sigh. The one thing I hate is when Reed is right. For Reed to be right you have to be making really poor decisions. And that's what was happening now. "Really? As much as you bark orders all the fucking time you thought I would be the one to figure this shit out?" 

"The fuck are you getting so defensive for? You were the one that looked up places near us, places we could go!" 

"Yeah but this was your idea in the first fucking place!" Reed screamed, there were only about two men near us and both looked like our conversation was throughly irritating them. "Mr. Let's leave saltwater!" 

"Oh my bad. You wanna go back jackass!" 

"Guys check it they had sour straws!" Lester interrupted as he came bounding out of the store. Another thing about Lester. Reading the mood and him are two things that really don't equal each other. 

"How many of those things did you buy! We don't have space for all that shit!" Reed practically screeched. 

"That and we need to save money!" I announced, gesturing to the arm full of candy he was still cradling. Reed just scoffed crossing his arms. 

He pulled the pump out of his bike hanging it back up where it belongs quickly trotting into the store to get away from me and Lester. I'm honestly too glad to see him go right now. 

"Hey." Lester remarked breaking the silence as I wheeled my motorcycle around smoothing the paint over with my thumb. I looked up at him just as he shrugged his shoulders, turning his head away from me. "What if we head in the direction we were originally going..." 

I know what he's implying and I also know what kind of argument will ensue from it. "Forget it we already passed by there." 

"I mean... Who says we can't head back? We're basically floating around aimlessly... Reed wants to go some where right? Let's go to Aliayas. I mean it just sounds like a place where dreams come true." 

It's been a week and a four days since I met Cyrus. And I haven't looked back. It was fun and everything while it lasted but honestly I can't go chasing after him. He should've known that when he met me. I don't chase, I'm not some girl in an apartment running to catch her boyfriend before his flight leaves. 

"Forget it Lester. We're not going back." I say as I wheel my bike towards the door of the small store. 

"Don't you wanna see your friend again?!" Lester announced and shockingly I've never wanted to punch him more. 

The fucking idiot's yelling across a mostly secluded gas station! "Shut the fuck up!" I announce as I circle back around stomping towards him. "I'm not going back ok! This isn't some cutesy friendship tale we'll talk about someday this is real life. And in the life I've lived I know I've never planned on running after anyone." 

Lester was about to rebuttal which at this point is just screaming for a face full of knuckles but Reed saved his ass. (Honestly wouldn't be the first time). He stumbled out of the store with a small brown paper bag clung to his chest, which he quickly stuffed away into the duffel bag he'd brought to keep his stuff in. 

"You going in? Or can we go?" Reed asked irritation high in his throat. 

"Fuck it let's just leave." I know Reed is not gonna share whatever he brought later, but Lester being the nicest of the three of us will most likely. I'll just harp off him if I get hungry. 

I hadn't even straddled my motorcycle yet when Lester turned his bike in the opposite direction from which we'd originally been heading. 

"The fuck is he going?!" Reed screamed but I barely registered it. 

"I'm heading to Aliayas! If you decide to come that's fine!" Lester answered as if he could actually hear Reed over his fucking motorcycle. 

Welp this is the last time anyone will ever see Lester. Because I'm gonna fucking kill him. 

I have never wanted to murder Reed and Lester more than today. How is it that we got along so well in Saltwater? Oh yeah cause the town was shit. 

Back in Saltwater we'd just sit on the floor of Reed's bedroom, magazines thrown astray, bowls filled with an ample assortment of chips, cans of soda thrown to the wasteland sometimes right in the empty bowls, and of course a joint in rolled up and puffed to it's end. Maybe two if we were having a bad enough day. And you know what that shit was fun. Regardless of the fact that we would have to sober down eventually and beside the fact that Reed's dad would always come home and start an argument about the weed. (And if we were especially unlucky would try to make us put it out.) 

But this. This... Wasn't like that at all. We weren't all on the same page and even worse there are so many more uncontrollable variables in this equation.

As stupid as it may sound before we left me, Reed, and Lester made a pact. One where we promised we would stick together. We'd stay friends. I really don't know how much longer that's gonna last honestly. 

I did the one thing I never do. I slipped off my helmet while keeping up with Lester who's driving much, much faster then he normally does. "What exactly do you think you'll get out of going to Aliayas? Is there any hope for you there?" 

Besides the obvious reason that it's dangerous, I hate taking my helmet off because of just how much wind gets in my fucking mouth when I do it. 

"Who knows? But we gotta try right?" He's slowing down a little. Releasing a bit from where his hands are on the handlebar. He's the only one that knows how secretly paranoid I get about driving without a helmet. 

"Where the hell are you going?! You just sped off!" Reed interjects his helmet almost falling from his grasp as he yanked it off his head. 

"T.J's friend told him about a city called, Aliayas. Maybe we could pick up and rebuild our lives there." Lester replies 

That's a lot of rebuilding. At the moment all I have on me is a couple pairs of underwear, a toothbrush (that I really don't understand my logic behind bringing), some jeans, and one or two shirts. All stuffed in an overnight bag that I got when I was eight. 

"Yeah? And what if this place is worse then Saltwater?" Reed asked straightening up a bit on his bike. 

"There's no where in the world worse then Saltwater." 

"We won't know unless we go there and check it out! Let's just see it's not like we have to stay if we hate it!" 

Reed rolled his eyes. "Yeah whatever Caillou." With that Reed popped a wheelie, quickly straightening his helmet back onto his head. 

Lester just sighed turning his head back to me. "I'd like to think we could all have a future there." 

I scoff, a laugh coming up in my throat but I buried it. "Even Reed?" 

"Sure.. Even Reed."


	3. Somewhere we don't know

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Since they came so far out who knows how long it'll take to get to Aliayas.

"Hey little bro." Amber softly planted herself at the foot of TJ's bed, watching his tiny figure shiver under too thin sheets.

"What'd they say?" TJ asked ignoring his sister's greeting.

Amber just sighed hand coming up to rub TJ's knee. "He's gone Tee." She explained, remorse in her voice. "They said he died in the fire."

Now TJ was sitting up, fast letting go of the pillow he'd been holding. "How?"

Amber looked startled at this question and she blinked at her brother, soft brown eyes wavering against the much more angry glare from TJ. "Wh-"

"How!" He was almost standing as he screamed at his sister. "What'd he go in the burning building for?! He didn't work there! It wasn't his house! And he's not a hero! So how?!"

"Stop screaming. You'll disturb mom." Amber replied sternly.

"Can't you see Amber." TJ began, falling back onto the bed, head plopping down on his pillow. "He left."

"Take it back..."

"He fucking left!" TJ announced not caring that he'd get grounded for yelling curse words if his mother heard. "He's the master of getting out of things he doesn't like! You're smart enough to see that!"

"Shut up TJ."

"Don't you remember..." Tears were starting to well up in TJ's eyes but he blinked them away, forcing himself to shut down the sadness. "When he made you tell him it was ok for him to miss your school play, because he made you believe he had a meeting for a promotion at work, all so that he could go have sex with Ms. Avery?" 

Amber had never cried in front of TJ. Not when she'd get smacked for being smart mouthed, not when she had to stay up late doing taxes for their parents that ultimately had a very young TJ laying beside her wrapped in a single blanket and snoring peacefully, and definitely not anytime before now.

Now when tears were running down her cheeks, now when her body was shaking and her breath caught as she held her face, now when it was obvious she'd been holding back to spare her brother.

"I'm sorry.."He didn't reach out to touch her like he would when he'd see her late at night with only a small desk lamp beside her to keep her warm, or when he'd see her fussing over what to make for dinner. He just sat there, utterly torn because he'd never seen a girl cry before.

Amber stood up, making her way to the door with fast strides.

"Amber wait!" TJ called now Amber stopped turning to face her younger brother. Face red, and long streaks of tears present on her cheeks.

"No. You were right.... I already knew what kind of father I had..."

***

"Uh.. I think it's gonna rain." Remarked Lester calmly.

I have no idea how long we've been driving out here or even if Lester actually knows what direction we should be going. But he's not wrong besides the obvious that it's getting dark for nighttime, it's also beginning to smell like rain. 

"We can't keep going!" Yelled Reed for no reason other than grabbing other people's attention is his favorite past time. "We need to find some place to camp out!" Our bikes are pretty loud but since there isn't much noise around here to combat his shouting. He's just being loud. Maybe that helmet smaked him a couple times while we weren't enjoying the look of dreary dirt road, and abandoned looking buildings. 

"Anymore useful information for us Captain obvious?" I retort which made him scowl. (to my own amusement). 

Back home Reed, Lester and I used to get caught in heavy downpour all the time. None of us ever checked the weather. It was only really ever annoying when we had our bikes. Lester doesn't really mind a little mud on the wheels of his black and red motorcycle. Me however, that shit pisses me off. I'd rather have to listen to Reed explain algebra then to get my motorcycle dirty and wet. 

"But where the hell are we gonna camp out?" Lester asked slowing down a little as he was clearly starting to contemplate. "There hasn't been much of anything resembling an empty house for miles." 

"Maybe we-" Reed didn't even get a chance to finish his statement, the sound of thunder promptly cutting him off in a way I would be much more thankful for, if not for the resulting shower less than 2 minutes later. 

"Guys pull over!" I scream as the rain pelts us. Now it's completely dark outside, more thunder roars as we pull over to the side of the road. The road was pretty much deserted before we pulled over, but it seemed like the last grey Honda to pass us swept up anyone that was left. Leaving only the three of us standing in the rain. 

"Now what?!" Reed yelled over the thunder. Pulling his helmet off like a jackass. 

"We find shelter! Come on!" I don't know what I'm pulling my motorcycle through and it terrifies me. 

The uneven road makes it bounce up sometimes as I run. The sound of Reed and Lester behind me being the only reason why I didn't stop. I don't even know where I'm planning on leading us. All this rain is drenching the front of my helmet making it hard to see. I think I almost tripped at one point but honestly I can't be too sure. My breath is forcing it's way out of my chest, past my heart and back again. 

It's most likely effecting Lester and Reed too seeing as they're smokers as well. 

God we can't keep going. Everything feels heavy. My bike, my lungs, my clothes. I finally stop, body lurching forward as I grind to a halt. I feel Reed's bike crash into mine and before I can say anything Lester yells, "Guys over there!" 

From what little I can see I make out a sign that has clearly fallen off an old rusted building. It was probably a deli in it's day. (Whatever century that might have been.) 

Lester doesn't even give me or Reed a chance to ask questions before he's darting across the road. Not giving a shit about the fact that it's a road and cars could come flying down it regardless of the rain. Reed turns to look at me before booking it across the road as well and because I can't bare to be the last one I quickly follow. 

Lester had just gotten the door off the old place open as Reed and I came crashing in. I yanked my helmet off my head taking in oxygen and unfortunately the smell of mildew as well. 

"Ugghhhhhh! The fuck is that?!" Yelled Reed who dropped like a sack of potatoes the second we got inside. 

"It's probably mildew, maybe some mold, and what's most likely dust bunnies. It makes sense since this place looks older than Saltwater." Lester announced parking his bike near a broken shelf. "It could've been a normal deli but judging by shelf location and some of these barrels lying on their sides it might have been a small grocery store, or even a candy shop. Who knows there could be food in the back that stayed preserved over the years." 

"Now you're saying something useful." Reed commented running towards the back of the store as I began to pull off my helmet, parking Reed's bike next to mine and Lester's. 

Ignoring the bad smell and the very very dangerous places where nails were sticking out from the wood and the turned over bottles with who knows what evaporated from them this place isn't so bad. It probably was extremely pretty like Lester said. 

"Guys you gotta come see this!" Reed gestured immediately running back into the room like a small child. Lester moved faster then me cracking open the heavy steel door and rushing inside. 

"Woah what the fuck?" 

This place had what looked a lot like a basement. The extremely dim white light giving off only but so much of the place but in what I could see there was a lot of shit to take in. Lester had been right about one thing there were cans lining the walls, all of them looking ancient as if they'd been here longer then all three of us had been alive. Certain labels slightly readable like the creamed corn, and canned peas. Yea this might've been a grocery store. 

Once we'd all made it down the far too rickety stairs, (Or maybe all our body weight is making it sound worse then it is). I could see there was even more stuff mixed in with the cans. Vinegar, salad dressing, apple cider... 

"Looks like someone was living down here.." Reed announced using the small flashlight on his keychain to show off the parts of the room the ceiling light wasn't hitting. 

Sure enough he was right. There were two mattresses on opposite sides of the room. One tilted as though the person had been trying to get it out of here to no avail. While the other just sat straight next to a huge wall of cans. 

"Aren't you guys concerned that the person hasn't actually left for good and that they're gonna come back?" I asked watching Lester as he slipped a shoe off tossing it to the side. 

"I'm more concerned with sleeping." He explained pulling his gear up over his head, his shirt going next. 

"The fuck are you doing?!" Reed exclaimed stepping away as if he would get hit with Lester's clothes. 

Lester just sighed unbuttoning his jeans. "Might as well camp out in here tonight it's probably gonna rain all night and I'm not about to get sick." I shrugged nudging Reed as I began to get unchanged as well. 

"If anyone takes their underwear off I'm fucking bolting." Explained Reed before finally following in our footsteps. 

"Oh shut the fuck up. You act like you'll catch some type of gay if you have another guy naked in front of you." Though Lester still kept his underwear on regardless of him saying that. 

"If I catch any gay it'll be from being around yo bitch ass too long." 

The two of them flopped down in front of the mattress. Both completely naked except for their underwear. "And you'll be the first one I ditch when we get to Aliayas." Lester announced sighing as he laid back. 

"Fine by me. Can't get any girls with yo little dick ass running behind me." 

"You guys not gonna check the bed? See if it has rodents or bedbugs?" I interrupt, pulling the matress across the way up staring closely at a couple suspect spots. 

"You're so fucking paranoid all the damn time." Reed claimed, it's when he says shit like that that makes me wanna ditch him on the side of the road like a disowned dog. 

I groan turning to look at him. "You dumbass, you're just gonna lay on a mattress all night not knowing what the fuck type a shit been on it." 

"Bro bedbugs really is the least of our worries. We probably already have fucking mold in our lungs. Face it we've reached rock fucking bottom."

There are only but so many times you'll get the Reed who's genuinely feeling some type a way. The Reed who's not just making jokes, or goofing off the real Reed. It normally only happens when he gets to a certain level of high or when he's tipsy but now I think he's just picking up on the atmosphere. 

Lester looked between us like he was scared we were gonna fight. Honestly I don't blame him for thinking that but I don't really have the strength and Reed's not wrong. If Amber were here I'd owe her 10 bucks. 

"Fine. Let's just sleep." I crawl onto the mattress bypassing the orange looking stain and flipping over to be on my back as Lester got up to turn off the light. 

"Night guys." Lester whispered but I had already turned over. 

"If you touch me in any way shape or form I'll kick you so hard blood'll come out your ears." I heard Reed whisper. 

I already know I'm going to get less than 5 hours. Not that there's a clock in here to tell me what time it is. But based off the creaking noises and the fact that Lester snores like a pig on helium I can already assume tonight's gonna be shit.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy new year! And thank you all so much for getting this fanfic to 400 hits already! Omg I love all the support! 
> 
> Thank you!


	4. So blue it's unstained

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> TJ, Lester, and Reed finally make it to Aliayas and surprisingly it has something for everyone.

My skull banged like a dish crashing against kitchen tile. 

Last night's sleep was definitely some of the worst I've had in years. 

Which includes when I was living in Saltwater. Back then I knew what I was in for, where as here I've spent more time flinching because of the feeling of something eating away at my skin then I have actually sleeping. I would've moved to check but Reed is an extremely light sleeper so any movement would've have woken him up right away, not to mention the fact that he also gets super bitchy when he's woken up. 

Now it's what I'm guessing is morning. There are birds chirping outside and what is probably sunlight peaking in through the mostly covered window near the ceiling. I almost let out a groan as I shift my weight off the mattress. Fuck I want a shower. Scratch that need a shower.

I start to shrug back on my shirt from the night before. It's almost all the way dry but there are spots that are still wet, that bed was definitely more uncomfortable then my shirt. I'm about to pull my jeans on when I hear shifting. I turn noticing Lester blinking in the minimal light and yawning quietly. He doesn't actually get up even when his eyes are completely adjusted, probably cause he knows the same thing I know about Reed. 

"Hey." I whisper though it barely comes out that way. Almost inaudible actually. 

He waves instead of answering then gestures to his jeans which are right beside mine. I pick them up with one hand tossing them high up so that he could catch them without possibly hitting Reed. He barely caught the pants leg leaning over to pull them back into his lap. I'm pretty sure he's not gonna be able to slip them on without waking Reed but that's really not my problem. I slip into my own jeans grateful as fuck that at least something got dry. 

Meanwhile Lester is trying to inch his way off the mattress without making it move, and if I had a phone with battery life I'd tape this shit. His knees are bent against the cold hardwood, and the pants in his hand are flopping past his knees streching onto the floor. Eyes focused on Reed and teeth clenched in his attempts. I have to cover my mouth to keep from busting out laughing. He finally falls on the floor giving me the finger from across the room. My chest hurts from my silent laughter and I suck in a breath to keep from crying. 

"What are you fuckwads doing?" Reed mumbled and suddenly both me and Lester froze. Reed shifted where he was on the mattress. His body was laid out flat on his stomach and he inched a hand under his chin giving us both a look filled with malice. "I've been awake you two are loud as shit." He explained 

I roll my eyes straighten up. "Well now you're awake now we can pack it up and leave." I retort bouncing up the stairs two at a time. 

If there had been more space downstairs I would've brought my bike down in a heartbeat. Back at home my motorcycle was the nicest thing I'd owned, so I kept it in my room regardless of how much space it took up. What can I say my bike's part of the reason I'm able to keep a level head. 

The floor creaks as I race across it, shockingly it's way more annoying with four hours of sleep under your belt. But I toon it out heading over to my motorcycle. Ughhh it looks disgusting. Worse then I thought it would. Mud caked up in the rims and paint scratched on certain parts. My poor baby. I move closer seating myself on the floor, already beginning to chip away the mud on the wheels and in the spokes. 

I didn't get much time to actually be with my bike when I heard a loud crash coming from downstairs. I keep forgetting leaving Lester and Reed alone is a bad idea. I almost don't get up but decide to when the sound of what can only be cans falling rung across the abandoned deli. 

"What the fuck are you two doing?!" I ask as I run down the stairs taking in the floor littered with cans and other preserved food. 

"Reed's dumbass thought it would be a good idea to shimmy a can out from under the bottom of the pile!" Lester announced staring at Reed. 

"It's like playing jenga!" Reed replied "The pile was perfectly fine then it decided to fall because I'd already gotten the can out." 

"The same can of food that you pulled out from the bottom is over there!" Lester explained "Near the top of the pile!" 

I swear I need to get high before I murder both of these fucking idiots. 

"I didn't see that shit!" 

"Oh my god, shut up!" I yell already half way up the stairs. We should've been on our way out already but we're still here and Reed still isn't wearing a shirt. "Get your shit together grab some food so we can go!"

I'm pretty much out of the basement when I hear Reed yell, "Who made you the fucking boss." 

On any other day I would've gone back down those stairs just to yell, "Me fucker." But today I'm not in the mood. I'm too fucking pissed and tired to deal with any of this shit. All this crap is actually making me miss having a fucking bed I could call my own. Making me miss hearing Amber singing off key really low so that mom wouldn't come out and yell at her. Making me miss the soft pool of sunlight that would strech over my bedroom floor every morning. I hated it back then but now I kinda want the warmth on my skin. 

I move past my bike stepping outside to sit on the fucked up steps in front of the deli. This place is honestly just filled with steps. There's a soft hint of yellow peaking through innocent clouds only wanting to touch the things below but ultimately being covered. The breeze out here is anything but friendly and despite the fact that my shirt is still wet in places I stay outside. Without a coat, just watching the clouds rolling through and the trees shivering losing leaves as it all moves through. 

I doubt I'll actually get sick honestly. I mean I've been locked out of my house for 7 hours before with just a t-shirt on in early winter. Not that that wasn't absolutely awful. 

The cold is nearly as bad as now though. It's surprisingly less stressful then being inside with Reed and Lester. 

"Hey.." Speak of one of the devil's. I don't respond back even when Lester sits down next to me on the steps keeping a small space between the two of us. "How come you're out here? It's cold." 

"Not worse then listening to you and Reed." I reply 

He kinda shrugs it off like my comment didn't actually effect him in the slightest before he speaks again, "I wonder what we'll see in Aliayas." Lester's always been known to change the subject out of nowhere. It only really annoys Reed as I'm pretty used to it. "Like if they have skyscrapers and such." 

We've only ever seen skyscrapers in magazines and on the Internet, seeing as Saltwater wasn't exactly chock full of shit like that. Reed used to laugh and say the people who built those giant glass traps were ballsy people, but I'm pretty sure even he wanted to see one. I bet you feel so small looking up at something like that. 

"It is a city after all I mean maybe they tons of buildings like those that just strech on for miles. Or even roads with tons to see as we zoom by. Any road is better these one's seeing as they're always unpopulated. I wonder if they have clean buses as well, and trains!" 

We don't need trains in Saltwater. You can get out of that tiny town in a matter of 13 hours by walking. The buses are more of a casualty, you know so that we actually look like a normal place. But their routes are short and they're always late so you'd have a better time walking. 

"Who knows maybe we'll all find something that'll make us stay." 

"What do we actually plan on doing out there? I mean we won't have a place to stay we're starting from scratch with no real plan." 

Lester just smirked, "The plan comes later for now all we need is to reach the destination." 

Before I could say anything I was startled by the awfulness that is Reed's voice, "Alright! I stocked up on all types of shit including this weirdly white looking tofu shit.. I don't know." Reed announced hopping down the stairs. "Let's hit the road!" 

It only really took us a couple minutes to get back outside with bags full of cans and our bikes. We all slipped on our shoes and gear (My shoes still being disgustingly soggy) before actually getting back on the road. 

"Does everything feel different to anyone else?" Reed asked

"Like how?" Lester retorted 

"Like our calling was to ride outta Saltwater with our middle fingers sky high and a bag of weed tucked away. But we ended up wanting to be rich kids for whatever reason." 

I swear I almost face palmed. 

"Who said we wanted to be rich kids?" 

"Dude have you not realized? We're going to Aliayas! I've read about this city. It's labeled the city of dreams for fucks sake. It's main population could buy forty motorcycles like our's and barely make a dent in one of their like 15 bank accounts." 

Yeah I'm pretty sure Reed is exaggerating at least a little. I mean he is good for that. 

"You've read about something that wasn't issued as homework?" Lester commented with a smirk. 

"Fuck up! I'm serious if you ever see the way this city looks especially at night you'll probably never wanna leave. This place could make or break us! We're either rich kids or back to square one." 

We probably wouldn't be rich kids seeing as we're all legal. Not to mention the fact that Reed's jumping the gun by a fucking lot. If this place is as glamorous as he makes it out to be what're the odds we survive even a day there? Reed's the closest one out of the three of us to actually being rich and in comparison to people like Cyrus he doesn't even get close. He's always gonna be Saltwater rich not big city rich. And Saltwater's always gonna be trash. 

"How long till we actually get there?" I ask no one in particular. 

"We got a little off track seeing as we ended up a little bit out of the way. It's most likely gonna be five hours more till we get there." 

Welp guess there's no turning back now. 

*** 

The ride was surprisingly quiet. We didn't really stop despite the fact that I know I didn't eat breakfast, and Lester probably hadn't either. 

I basically just said fuck it and for what could've been 20 minutes but honestly felt like an hour I just rode helmet-less, hair flying past my face in a way that reminded me of my first time riding my motorcycle. And at the end of it all. What didn't feel like five hours in the slightest we came across, 

"Aliayas!" Lester practically screeched at the sign as we passed. 

"Alright toddler calm down." Came Reed's voice a little way's behind us. 

At this point I don't think Lester's dad could get him down. He looks so fucking happy. Like in a way I haven't seen since he watched me and Reed beat up his bully. He speeds up getting some air to pop a wheelie and I slip on my helmet quickly following, Reed not too far behind. 

The second we actually touched base inside the city I knew it definitely wasn't anything like Saltwater. The trees stood so tall over everything like they were watching over the people coming and going, the sky poured a beautiful blue over the city giving the entire place such a warm look. We'd slowed down now that we were actually in the city making it all so much easier to take in. There were flowers growing around the trees, with water flowing from a fountain in the dead center of it all, complied with streets so clean you could eat off them. 

This place really is so perfect. I feel like I'm messing it up just by being here. 

"Where do we go now?" Reed asked as I hopped off my bike. Pulling it onto the street. A few people stared at us like we were animals digging through their trash and honestly we just might be. 

"Maybe we should sightsee. I mean we don't have to do anything right away and-" 

"TJ?"


	5. New friends in new places

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> TJ and Cyrus finally meet up again. 
> 
> That's it that's the only important part of this chapter.

"Cyrus?" 

"Hey it's the motorcycle man!" Cyrus called, closing the door of a car with tinted windows and what looked like a very irritated driver. He quickly raced across the crowded street running straight up to me. 

"What're you doing out here?" Probably shouldn't be my first question. Plus the way I phrased it made it sound stupid. "I mean.. I know you live in the city.. In this city.. But.." 

"Oh." Cyrus shook his head a soft smile forming on his face. "I was gonna head out.. you know.. like I do.." 

Lester coughed loudly making it abundantly clear how obvious he was trying to be. 

"You might as well formally meet my friends." I remark turning to face Lester and Reed. "This is Lester, and that's Reed." 

"Nice to meet you both." Cyrus remarked politely, trying to shake Reed's hand which is a no no that I quickly stopped before Reed could tackle him. 

"So! What're you doing out here? This is the entry to the city." 

Cyrus blew a raspberry turning to look back at the car he'd pulled up in. The man currently in the driver's seat looked ready to hang himself as he sat back, eyes planted on the ceiling of the car. "When my house gets too... chaotic is the nicest way to put it... I drive outta the city and just hang out somewhere my anxiety can't reach... Which ultimately lands me back home..." 

I smirk digging into my pockets just as Reed decides to chime in, "So is that your car?" He asks 

"Ah.. Yes.. But I never drive it.. That's what a driver's for right?" 

"We wouldn't know." Lester shrugs 

I'm really tempted to rush the end of this conversation because I wanna actually get into the city but Reed doesn't give me the satisfaction, "So you just have a car that you never drive isn't that st-" 

I already know what he's gonna say. I'm prepared cutting it off with a hard elbow to his chest. 

"Well, daddy doesn't want his son getting into accidents on the road. He believes it's safer to have a driver and I trust his judgment." 

"You still call your dad, daddy?" Reed asks, no surprise that he has no idea when to stop talking I just wish he'd drop it. 

Cyrus doesn't look offended though, not in the slightest as the corners of his lips tweak up into a smirk. "Its a Aliayas thing."

Yet somehow I don't believe a word of that.

"Well.. Cyrus we were just gonna head into the city and-" 

"Oh yeah! You came to visit right?" Cyrus interrupts probably not meaning to. "Listen the traffic's gonna be brutal and you guys don't know your way around so why don't I take you guys where you wanna go." 

I'm about to argue that we don't really need the assistance but dumbass Lester speaks first, "That sounds really great but our bikes won't fit in your car will they." 

"Of course they will the trunks incredibly roomy! Come on I'll show ya!" 

Cyrus wasn't kidding when he said the trunk was roomy. It honestly had enough space to fit a couple bodies (which Reed just so happened to mention him being thickskulled as usual). It was especially big when Cyrus pushed a row of seats down inside the car to accommodate the new load. 

All in all the trunk was still lacking the right amount of space for all three bikes which immediately started a Rock Paper Scissor battle between Reed and Lester, over who would have to put their bike on the roof (I didn't participate for obvious reasons). Of course Lester lost forcing him to have to watch his bike be tied up by Cyrus's very exasperated driver. Even with Cyrus's calm reassurance that his bike would be fine Lester still looked two seconds away from crying. 

But less than two minutes later we were pulling away from the entrance of the city and driving away to God knows where. I honestly want to beat the shit out of Lester for getting us into the mess. Despite that one conversation I had with Cyrus there's very little I actually know about him. Coming here was the absolute worse idea imaginable. 

"TJ you still owe me a ride." Cyrus commented out of the blue. 

That statement in itself was all fine and good it was just Reed's reaction and playful, "A ride huh?" That had my fingers sweating for some reason. 

"Shut the fuck up." I whispered not really sure if anyone in this car would get offended by the normally brash language I choose to use. 

"So where are you planning on taking us anyway?" Lester asked suddenly. I guess he's over the whole motorcycle on the roof situation that happened literally minutes ago. 

"What you guys don't have some kind of plan on a living situation?" Cyrus asks 

Lester promptly shakes his head and Reed shrugs. 

"What were you guys planning on doing?" The tone Cyrus has now is a bit more urgent now. As though he's genuinely concerned even though we haven't known each other long enough to share a bottle of whiskey. 

That was an old Saltwater saying. You haven't known someone until you can share a bottle of whiskey with them. I always felt like there was a much deeper meaning or origin to that saying because on a surface level it doesn't really make much sense. 

"Before you came along we were honestly just gonna wing it and drive around seeing the sights till dark." 

At this point Reed and Lester might as well tell Cyrus our social security numbers and bank information. 

"I hope it's ok if I take you guys to my place. At least for now. You can grab a shower, get some food, figure out what you plan on doing." 

Finally an opportunity arises for me to speak, "I mean that sounds.. Nice but we wouldn't want to impose on you. Besides you already had to turn your car around for us and everything it's cool we'll have a plan tomorrow." 

"TJ.. I can't just let you guys sleep on the streets. A couple hours at least. Please I mean you guys look like you could use a shower anyway." Cyrus remarks gesturing to my muddy shoes and dirty jeans. 

Unfortunately he's not wrong. But fat load a good a shower's gonna do if we have to change into the same clothes later. 

"Sounds awesome!" Lester announces again before I can say a word. 

Reed leans in close to me to whisper, "This kids clearly rich. Like richer then I was in Saltwater. Why don't we just see where this thing goes for a bit." 

Honestly I could keep fighting this but the lack of sleep from last night is beginning to drain on me. I wish I could talk to Amber, she's always had a way of making problems seem a lot smaller than they were. Someday I hope she leaves Saltwater behind, it's no good for her and she's the better sibling. 

I lean my head back against the leather seats as the car dripped with silence so loud it wrapped around my body. I don't know how long we'd been sitting in the car but all I know is when Cyrus shouts, "We're here!" I'm looking out the window at a house big enough to fit Saltwater's entire population.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you guys are spreading the word about this fanfic cause the more attention it gets the more likely I'll try to post chapters. 
> 
> Just saying ;)


	6. A shower and lost clothes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tj finally gets to take a shower. ;)

I can't see my own face but I can Reed's and Lester's and if those two looked anymore shocked their heads might explode. 

"Yeah.. It's small compared to the other house's on this street." 

Cyrus really does have little to no self awareness huh? 

"Your motorcycles will have to stay out here cause my parents will freak out if we track a lot of dirt in the house." Cyrus explained. "They can go in the garage since I normally don't park my car in there." 

Or at all due to the whole having a driver thing. 

Lester and Reed immediately grabbed their bikes hauling them off to the garage. Me, I just stood there wondering how in the hell we were gonna get out of this. We're at his house. Where my bike will go in the garage... I've never been more than about 7 feet away from my bike. Well unless I was at school in which case I always left it locked away in my room, but still.

"It's ok if you wanna leave it out here you know." Cyrus commented looking from me to my bike. And I mean I get the sentiment he's trying for I really do, though honestly anywhere I put my bike I'll be thinking about it. I wheel my motorcycle over to the garage, placing my helmet on the floor beside it. 

The wheel is all dirty and the handle bars look grimy where I had to hold it without my riding gloves, cause they'd been the only thing I'd left when I left Saltwater. Well technically forgot. I turned around to see Reed already up two stairs towards the huge house. The stairs were white, the front door was white, the only thing that just happened to escape the bright coloring was the gold knob and brass door knocker. 

Like I said before the richest kid I've known since I was a kid was Reed and his house could fit inside this house. This place just seems wrong to me, I feel more like I'm breaking in then being invited. 

Cyrus twisted his key in the lock first left then right like he had no idea how to open the door then with a small click and a push we were walking across velvet carpet with our muddy boots. Into a house that now from the inside could probably fit three of Reed's houses. Not like Reed actually seemed to care how much we stuck out in a place like this though. 

"Woah! Holy shit!" Reed exclaimed the second we got into the house. Thus reminding me why we never take him places. 

"Shhh!!" Cyrus practically screeched. "Don't curse in here! My parents will freak out if they-" 

"Cyrus!" We all turned toward the polished looking swivel staircase to see a young girl standing at the top. I've literally never seen a girl with hair that short before... I mean she sounds like a girl.. I hope she's a girl.. I mean she's not ugly I guess. I've just always seen girl's with long flowing hair. 

Those were the kinds of girl's we had back in Saltwater. (Despite most of their hair being drier then their conversation skills). Those were the types of girl's that filled Reed's favorite magazines and those were the kinds of girl's that appeared on tv shows. 

The girl at the top of the stairs quickly bounced her way down towards all of us squinting as she walked past me, Reed and Lester. 

"Cyrus.." She chuckled nervously, never taking her eyes off us. "Who are they.." She whispered not so subtly. 

My Reed senses tell me he's gonna say something shitty or stupid. So I quickly grab him smaking my hand over his mouth. He only struggles for a couple seconds seeing as I've always been stronger then him, slowly letting me hold him while the girl continues to stare as though we just beamed into this house from the sky. Normally I'd say she has every right because we do look weird as fuck, but I'm more offended by her rich people glare then anything else.

"Stop it. I invited them." Cyrus whispered not so quietly. "This is TJ, Lester and Reed." He announced resting a hand on my shoulder when he said my name. I flinched a bit but quickly settled back not wanting anyone to notice and hoping Cyrus didn't. "Guys, this is Andi." 

"Nice to meet you." Lester remarked enthusiastically, as if he hadn't seen her still shocked gaze as it laid on all of us with each introduction Cyrus made. He probably had but Lester's just too nice for anyone's good. 

Despite me relinquishing my hand on Reed's face, he didn't move to say hello, instead returning Andi's gaze with more annoyance. 

"Nice to meet you Andi." I said not wanting to let the room get too quiet. 

"Heh.. It's good to meet you all as well." I bet she wouldn't have said that if Reed wasn't still giving her the stink eye as we speak. "Cyrus!" She turned back to the smaller male, pulling him towards her and away from my side "Where the hell did you find them!!" She whisper screamed 

So I guess no one from Aliayas has ever heard of/ knows subtlety in the slightest. 

This girl is still staring out of the corner of her eye at us and honestly I'm getting pretty offended. Even worse since I didn't want to come here in the first fucking place. 

"I invited them. I saw they needed help and so I wanted to help them." Cyrus explains, shifting his gaze from me to Andi then back again. 

Reed had stopped paying attention long ago and was now poking at a very expensive looking vase on a table in the center of the entrance, while Lester stared up at all the artistry hanging on the wall near the stairs. It was actually a little funny watching the way Andi cringed every time Reed almost knocked the case over onto the floor, his dumbasery is coming in handy for the first time ever. 

Though I've never felt more like a charity case in my entire life. 

"What're your parents gonna say?" I hear her ask just as soon there's a light creaking from upstairs and a door opens to reveal a black girl with her hair done up, black sweatpants on and a yellow t-shirt that from what I could see read, "Only the best." She paused at the top of the stairs almost leaning over the railing as she called down, "Andi! Have you seen-" 

She paused. Dropped the article of clothing in her hand, before dashing down the stairs as quickly as she could, rushing past Lester and me so fast she could beat Sonic. "Who're they?!" She asked Cyrus pointing at us. 

"Ok, let's all go into the kitchen have some milk and cookies." Cyrus suggested, with a clap of his hands, gesturing for me, Reed and Lester to come to the kitchen. Both girl's looked incredibly disinterested until they realized Cyrus was completely serious, prompting them both to hightail it away towards the kitchen. 

Their behavior makes me miss being invisible honestly. 

The kitchen was bigger then the main room... Let me repeat. Every inch of this house seems to get bigger the farther in you go! Why the hell do you need a kitchen with like three stoves and 40 burners to match anyway! Like who're you cooking for?! A family of tourists? Though honestly with the kind of person Cyrus is I would expect nothing less than for him to have parents who help the needy or whatever.. 

I'm pretty sure you could hide a body inside their fridge, the floors are so shiny you could replace all the mirrors in the world with just these tiles, and in the dead center of it all is an island with enough space to fit a cow and the barn. 

Cyrus quickly fished around in the cabinet for a box of cookies handing them to Reed who responded with a quick "sweet!" Taking them from Cyrus and instantly digging in without waiting for Cyrus to get him a plate. I mean it's not uncharacteristic, me and Reed used to eat chips off the floor. We'd lay the chips out and caterpillar our way along the floor eating them one by one, (To Lester's own disgust.) It was fun. A challenge if we made it into a race, it also just happened to prevent us from caring about how our food is prepared. 

Cyrus' driver had pretty much long gone by now and since Reed and Lester were busy fighting over the cookies Cyrus talked straight to me, Andi and the girl he introduced as Buffy. "I know this is sudden-" 

"Sudden isn't the word I would use." Interjected Andi with an eye roll. 

"Cyrus, you've done some pretty dumb things but this is far from your normal level of dumb." Buffy remarked bringing both her hands up to her face as though she was praying. 

"I'm sorry about all this." I quickly say. All the eyes that didn't belong to Reed and Lester landed on me and I suddenly feel super self conscious. "We're not gonna stay too long. We just need today and we'll be out of your hair." 

Cyrus honestly looked super concerned but he didn't really have any time to argue because Andi was already piping up to talk, "I'm sorry.. But we don't know anything about you guys!" She exclaimed, turning her gaze to Cyrus. "You just bring people around and you know absolutely nothing about them... This whole situation is screaming bloody murder or something." She shakes her head as she talks, short hair flopping against her forehead. 

"We can leave." I say, causing everyone to turn back to me. "Honestly the whole reason we left our hometown was to get to a place where we could be independent. Being here would wreck that." 

"No. TJ.." 

"Cyrus!" Buffy exclaimed 

"You guys always do this!" Cyrus whined, "I'm not scared to have them in this house. Besides you guy's don't even live here!" 

Cyrus' outburst surprised me more than I thought it would. He's this tiny looking kid though I probably shouldn't be so shocked judging by the looks on Andi and Buffy's faces he probably does this a lot. 

"Please stay. I want you to." I couldn't really say much. Cyrus looked pretty genuine with his words something Saltwater people weren't capable of, something that made a nasty warmth flood my stomach and pool in my heart. I don't think anyone's ever made me feel that way to be honest. 

"Hello! Hello!" 

Oh great more people. Everyone in the kitchen instantly snapped their neck towards the entrance to the kitchen. A man wearing a grey blazer came strutting in not taking me, Lester, and Reed in for once. 

"Hey daddy." Cyrus instantly, replied allowing the male to hug him. Huh he really wasn't embarrassed about calling his dad, daddy.... 

"Oh! Hello!" The overally chipper man exclaimed. Besides the fact that Cyrus has his father's face I honestly would've never guessed they were related. 

"Daddy, this is TJ, Lester and Reed." Cyrus announced. Reed and Lester finally put the box down on the huge island coming over to shake the man's hand. 

"Well it's nice to meet you guy's." He said "Are you friend's of Cyrus?" And just like that he slowly began to look us over like the two girl's had when we'd first arrived, except somehow he did it nicer. 

"Daddy.." 

"He already promised them room and board." Buffy explained. 

"Only if it's ok with you sir. We're more than happy to find another place if we're taking up space here." Lester immediately interjected. 

"Nonsense! We have enough room. You kids stay as long as you need to. Meanwhile I've gotta go back to the office, K Cy! Please boys utilize our shower." And with that the way too excited and a little distracted man was gone. 

"Huh.. You being a kiss ass actually works for something!" Reed announces before the man's scent is even gone from the kitchen. I swear I wanna punch him so bad right now.. 

*** 

Reed ran to the shower first. Which is unlucky for me because he takes like fifty hour showers. Mostly because he feels the need to wash his hair for like fifteen minutes, and perform a terrible concert for forty five. Seriously who the fuck needs to be in the shower for that long. Back home I couldn't take a shower after him not if I wanted my balls unfrozen when I got out. I learned that the hard way. 

Lester said he was gonna take a shower after the two of us were done fighting. Don't know where he plans on going till then but whatever I guess. Cyrus went off with his driver or explained to his driver that he needed him to go buy us clothes.. Another thing I could've forever lived without. Not to mention he's getting someone to wash the clothes we were wearing as well.. I'm not in anyway shape or form a scammer or a murderer but Cyrus has a way of making me scared that I secretly am or that I'll end up murdering everyone for this huge ass home. 

"All your's since you're suddenly so desperate for a shower." Reed announced as he stepped out of the bathroom towel wrapped around his waist as he headed to the guest bedroom Cyrus allowed us to stay in. He better stay the fuck away from my bed. 

I've been aching for a shower forever, Reed's not wrong about that. The night it poured was I ready to just stand there and let the water cleanse me. I feel so dirty.. The longest I'd ever gone without showering on purpose was two days, being much less than Reed by about 11. 

I don't think I've ever stripped down so fast in my life. Once the bathroom door was closed I was naked in a matter of seconds, turning the hot water up full blast, I climbed in closing the glass door behind me. Turning to stand directly under the water and running a hand through my coarse hair. Fuck that's amazing. 

Water has never felt better then this. I turn around squirting the honestly very feminine looking body wash into my hand ignoring the sickeningly sweet scent as I rubbed it over my arms and over my neck. It kinda feels like I'm washing away a second skin all the grime, sweat and oil pooling down my body to the drain below. 

It was filthy and gross but I don't wanna stop scrubbing till I reach bone if I'm being honest. I squirt more body wash onto my hand running it under the hot water for about two seconds, quickly moving to the bottoms of my feet to spread the soap under my feet and between my toes. All of it feels way way too amazing. For once in the span of pretty much my whole life I'm melting away, forgetting my problems and- 

The door suddenly comes open and I flinch almost flying into the white tile. 

"Sorry! Sorry! I'm so sorry TJ! I just need a towel and I'll be out!" 

Without really thinking about it I yank the door over to see Cyrus balancing his weight on the sink top. (Since the towels are kept in the same cabinet as the drugs and shit.) Makes sense since the cabinets here are deeper than my mother's emotional responses, but also really dumb considering they could use the placement under the sink instead. 

"Why are you doing that without looking!" I remark, he's half balanced half not and one little slip could cause him to crack his head on more white tile.. 

"I don't want you to think I'm looking at you." 

I guess this was the dumb stuff Buffy was referring too. 

"Let me get it then. I'm taller." Besides the obvious that if he cracks his head open I'll probably be blamed, I also really want to get back to my shower. 

I grab the towel that had already been prepared for me wrapping it around my waist. He backs away from the sink top, eyes still covered with his hand as he backs away allowing me more room. 

He's so innocent and pure. It baffles me how no one's taken advantage of that.. 

I quickly reach up in the already open cabinet handing over a white towel from the top shelf. Seriously these people have a white fetish.. 

"Here you go." I say handing it over. 

"Thanks." Cyrus replies. Though since he's still got a hand on his face it's no surprise how fast this goes wrong. He quickly reaches past the towel, squeezing my bicep instead. I flinch for what is a new world record today, dropping it by his feet and without taking his hand away from his face Cyrus tries to grab it tripping instead. I quickly grab him and as he reaches out both his hands clutch my arms for safety. 

Our eyes meet at the same time that Cyrus makes this noise that's between a gasp and a sigh... Holy shit.. Holy shit what the fuck.. His cheeks are so rosy pink and his brown eyes are burning into my skin where they're unsubtly working their way down my chest. I've literally never seen anything like this in my entire life. 

I straighten us out as quickly as possible practically tossing Cyrus back as I grab onto my slipping towel, eyes darting away. "There's your towel." I remark kicking the towel on the ground closer to him. 

He's still a soft pink in the face when he says, "Th-thanks.." And Without another word about what happened Cyrus finally leaves. Practically running out a blur as he goes.

The first thing I do knowing he's gone is wrap the towel around my waist tighter as though he could still see the water droplets not yet evaporated against my chest. I feel naked even though I'm not. 

I need out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope this isn't out too late for anyone to be up to read. 
> 
> Cause this chapter is probably one of my favorites. ;)


	7. Fuck sobriety.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Living with Cyrus is more guns then it is roses.
> 
> There's a lot more tyrus in this chapter ;)

Living with Cyrus even if just for a night really has been the most over stimulating thing I've ever been through. And I once got tricked by Reed into taking acid.

Andi and Buffy or should I say the two girl's that won't stop looking at me, Reed and Lester like we have cartoon stink lines coming off our bodies, completely refuse to even be slightly open with us being here. And despite not giving the tinest shit about their opinions I really want to explain to them that I'll be out at the first opportunity. 

This morning I came down to the slightly whispered, slightly not whispered conversation transpiring between Cyrus, Andi and Buffy, 

"See I'm not dead. And they're still sleeping so keep your voices down.." 

"Where'd you even meet them Cyrus?" Andi asked, annoyance seeping from her voice. 

"Probably on one of his little runaway trips." Buffy commented, before Cyrus could say anything. 

"I met them in a little city. Not far from Aliayas. I gave TJ my burger and fries and we got to talking about things-" 

While I can't see the faces Buffy or Andi are making, I feel like I only need one guess just from the small meeting we had yesterday, to give an exact picture of their reactions. "Which one is TJ?" Buffy asked though she didn't sound all that concerned. 

"Who cares?" Andi laughed, all reminisce of actual joy completely scrapped from her voice. 

"I do." Cyrus chimed in. "Look if you get to know them, maybe talk with them and have an actual conversation with judgement free looks you might actually like them." 

Andi sounded as though she was ready to rebuttal but Cyrus cut her off quickly, "Daddy wants to actually have dinner with me tonight so I'm going to invite TJ, Lester and Reed-" 

Weird order of our names but ok. "You guys can join us, there's plenty of room and we can all get to know each other a lot better. You know before my mom comes back and I have to explain all this to her.." 

There was a brief silence before a drawn out breath escaped someone's mouth, honestly it was really hard to tell, Andi and Buffy seem to sigh a lot when it comes to Cyrus. 

"How long have you known these guys anyway?" Buffy asked 

"Wait a minute, you haven't told your mom?!" Andi screeched, hurting my ears. 

I squeezed the shell of both my ears just as Reed and Lester came down the stairs. The annoyed grunting of each step made me turn to them with a finger pressed to my lips. 

"Fuck are you doing?" Reed asked, but he didn't shout or anything, glad he got the memo for once. 

"You know it's rude to eavesdrop." Lester announced, automatically getting Reed's eyes on him. 

"Oh shut the fuck up, little pansy." Came Reed, before I could say basically the same thing. 

"So, seriously what're you doing?" 

I mean Reed is asking this question like I'm crouched at the bottom of the huge staircase with binoculars and a spy mask on or some shit. I'm literally just standing here, arm rested on the fucking banister watching only Cyrus' reaction to the convo because that's all I can really see from here. 

"They're talking about us." I whisper, taking in the way Reed leaned over the banister, like he was trying to listen better. All he's gonna do though is fucking fall, goddamned idiot and blow our cover. Damn this really just became a fucking spy mission.. 

"Why? Didn't they get enough of doing that yesterday?" Reed asked nonchalantly. 

"Guess not." 

"It's those two girl's isn't it, bet they would stop talking all that shit if we were in the room." 

"Doubtful." Lester remarked. "That girl Andi looks at us like we're trash and Buffy looks like she could take TJ in a fight." 

I mean I don't doubt that at all. Even the puniest girl's can sometimes rip you in half. Honestly it's the tiny one's you gotta watch out for but Buffy, she's not tiny. There's a weird kinda fire she has in her eyes. Like she would slaughter someone for fucking with her friends. I wouldn't put it against her to fuck someone up really bad. 

We're finally all quiet as soon as Cyrus says, "I mean they're from a different place, a different city of course they're not gonna look like us." Which is a nice way of saying well decorated and groomed like a show dog. "But I've talked with them especially TJ. There's something in his eyes that makes me think he wouldn't hurt me.." 

My face suddenly feels super hot. Like after I challenged Reed to that spicy nacho eating contest hot. Reed's arm connects with my shoulder blade a total of about 6 times and Lester ooooh's like the little girl that he is. 

"Aww your boyfriend's saying such sweet things about you!" 

"Go give him a kiss TJ!" Lester laughs 

Honestly I wanna throw Reed over the banister and punch Lester so hard he cries but I do neither, instead I stomp my way up the stairs as quietly as possible. Teeth grinding over each other in a way that's uncomfortable, I don't mind it though because the heat in my cheeks is going away. 

 

What the fuck is up with this peppy little city boy?! 

Thinking he fucking knows me. He doesn't fucking know me. 

My fucking eyes.. The fuck was he talking about?!?!? 

That kid doesn't understand shit about the town where we grew up. All the stuff he does. The falling into my arms, the talking about my eyes, the calling his dad, daddy!!! He'd get his ass handed to him in two point two seconds flat. And he's made me just as wimpy! 

Reed and Lester taunted me for miles about that stupid boy and the whole he's your boyfriend thing back at the diner. Fucking cunts, sometimes I think they seriously forget that I can beat the shit out of both of them easily. I didn't even hear Reed's stupid question! 

...I wanna talk to Amber. 

I didn't have to actually talk to her sometimes. Sometimes I'd just sit on her bed and she'd play with my hair till I fell asleep. She didn't feel obligated to know what was wrong with me, which is great cause sometimes I couldn't actually explain it. Nobody outside our house knew about her light touches to my forehead, or the way she'd comb my hair with her fingers. 

And no one had to know. It was our thing. 

The soft sound of knocking came to the door that was honestly only slightly closed anyway. I sat up quickly on the bed before saying a small, "Come in." 

Cyrus' head peaked through though he didn't even glance up at me, just stared quietly at the hardwood floor, eyes darting up to about the bed post before dropping down to the floor again. "Hey... Lester said you weren't feeling well.." Cyrus said, his voice void of the actual concern that sentence needed 

I'm going to kill that stupid fucker one day. 

"No. I just need time to think.." I reply causally. 

He nodded and it doesn't take a scientist to understand why he's being so weird. 

"Listen.. Cyrus.. About that.. Thing in the bathroom...." I don't know why I feel the need to bring it up. Where am I going with this? It was weird.. Plus the whole Cyrus obviously checking me out thing didn't help. 

"No! No! Noooo no no no no! Let's please not talk about that!" Cyrus' hands flew to shut the door, face redder than a tomato, the door slammed in it's frame and he came over to me plopping down on my bed so fast that I'm pretty sure I got whiplash. 

"I am so so so sorry about that! And I swear I didn't mean for it to happen but no one I mean no one can ever know about that! Not just because it's embarrassing but because Buffy and Andi barely let me eat by myself and if they find out about that they'll definitely think I was trying to come on to you or something... Please please please don't say a word." 

Who the fuck does he think I'm gonna be bragging about this to? I don't want Reed and Lester in on that shit either, then I'll really have to dislocate their jaws to keep them fucking silent. 

"I promise. I'm not gonna say anything." I reply, still a little bit startled by just how fast Cyrus is at everything when he's scared. "It's our little secret." Annnnnddddd as soon as those words left my mouth I wanted to take my foot and shove it down my throat, so I could never utter another sentence for the rest of my life. 

Why the fuck did I say something that utterly stupid? 

"D-deal.." Cyrus muttered, face creating a whole new shade of red. 

* 

Reed's good at making friends. 

Let me rephrase that. He's good at getting people to do what he wants. And by that I mean our day trip away from the house of exasperation, just got a whole lot more enjoyable. Reed got us into a sketchy looking night club that also just happens to have a huge bar and is of course incredibly empty this morning. Thank god for the shit head bouncer who wants to quit his job. 

The whole place is so well lit, well cleaned, and well stocked. Just like the rest of Aliayas. From what I can see there's enough alcohol here to have an elephant down with a hangover. Plus kegs and huge beer dispensers. All the shit night clubs didn't have back home.

"Oh fuck yes I miss fruity tasting beer." Lester remarks plopping himself down on the bar top. 

"You are fruity beer dipshit." Reed retorts, and for once this trip I actually laughed. 

"Are you sure it's ok for us to get drunk before a dinner with Cyrus' dad and the two bitchiest girl's on the planet?" 

"They're only bitchy cause they're rich kids." I retort, already starting to feel buzzed from taking down vodka straight from the bottle. 

"If you're worried you can stay sober." Reed replied, over a mouth full of hard cider. 

Ultimately he started to chug because of course he would, cause even Lester doesn't like being sober this long. 

I down the last of the vodka shattering the glass on the floor. It honestly looks so pretty in the pile that it's in on the floor scattered in random peices like that. Meanwhile Reed's holding Lester's head back while simultaneously trying to tip the bottle he's currently chugging from. 

And honestly it doesn't matter who you are or where you come from Lester is the best alcohol chugger on the planet. Mostly because he has no stomach or gag reflex. Also because he started drinking when he was 7. 

Reed laughs like a child before shouting, "Get the keg! Get the keg!" At me. I can't find a pump of any sort around so I just pop it open, immediately needing Reed's help to push the thing up high enough to angle towards Lester's mouth. 

I kept my hands wrapped tightly around the bottom with the support of Reed watching the tinted brown liquid rush out into Lester's awaiting mouth. His hair got soaked almost immediately as well as the floor with how fast we were pouring. He didn't mind though breathless laughs flowing from his mouth taking in as much as he could with how fast we poured. 

The keg was full as fuck and the new jeans Cyrus brought me paid the price of what Lester couldn't drink up. 

"That was literally the coolest thing you've ever done!" Reed laughed, highfiving Lester and moving to grab more beer. He slipped and slid around and I almost choked where I'd already grabbed a bottle of moscato praising every drop it could muster with my lips. 

Reed promptly returned with bottles of beer tucked between two sets of fingers on each hand. He'd already opened them up and was downing two at the same time with one hand, purposefully dousing his wavy blond hair with the stuff before doing the same to an awaiting Lester. More laughter spilled from my lips and I promptly stopped the flow of clear liquor flooding my throat and mouth. 

Ughhh I miss this shit with a passion! 

Reed instanly stops what he's doing, the second my bottle touches the clean brown surface. He tilts my head back and I this point I know I'm drunk cause normally I'd kill him for that. "Open." One single word and I obey the bottle splurts and sprays my nostrils and lips filling my throat again with a perfect burn. I happily allow it all though. 

Allow my throat to open, allow the liquid to flood through my body and make me feel perfectly tingly, allow Reed to continue to touch my chin with two of his fingers. Though if I do end up remembering this I'm probably gonna kill him for that shit. I keep sucking down the frosty alcohol bit by bit till the bottle drips it's last drops onto my awaiting tongue. 

We're all laughing now. All of it not much of a reason that is till Reed says, "I'm gonna go piss." And my head connects with the bar top. 

I don't even register Lester rolling over with a loud "oof" next to me. He hums lowly in his throat hair drenched and starting to soak on his clothes, though he doesn't look like he mines in the slightest. 

"TJ... TJ?" 

"What?" 

"Did you lie?" Spoken softly with the I and E pulled out and streched with the quick flops of Lester's tongue. 

"Bout?" 

"Cy..rus... Cy. Rus.... Cyrus!" 

"What a...bout h... h...him" I burp uncontrollably. 

"Did... You... Di... Did.. You.. Really hock... Hook up with him?... Or wat that a lie?..." 

"I.. Never said... Tat.." 

"But... You meant it... He was your boyfriend!!" 

"Shut it Lester..." 

"Then.. Wat wa he?.." Lester screams, slamming his hands down on the table. 

I roll over against the counter suddenly feeling absolutely god awful, why the fuck is Reed taking so long in the bathroom.. 

"E.. Even wit.. out all the stuff... Isn't he at..... Le..le.. Ast your friend?" Lester hick upped, I think he's a couple seconds away from spilling his guts all over the counter. Or he wants more alcohol could be either or. 

My feet slide against the floor as I come around the bar falling face first into a puddle of pretty much undisturbed liquor. I flop out in front of the stools still standing perfectly fine where they were lined up all neat and tidy for guests. 

"You're hogging the toilet! Reed!" I screamed pushing myself up onto my feet. A quick sound of a key turning in the door and me and Lester (or at least I think Lester turned) looked to a tall man planted firmly in the door way. 

"What the fuck are you kids doing?!?!" He screamed I latched onto Lester as quickly as I didn't know I could run hightailing his almost limp figure out towards the back door with the man right on our tails. "You fucked up my goddamn bar! I should fucking shoot you!" 

Reed was basically undone flopping out of the bathroom with his belt buckle not intact when I dragged his ass too. I'm the fastest runner but Reed caught on to the situation fast as fuck immediately rolling with the punches. "Get back here!!!" The man yelled still right behind us. 

I slammed my shoulder into the back door, Lester pretty much resting on my back and Reed a couple beats behind me. I don't know when the man stopped chasing us but we didn't stop running till our lungs were basically dead. Or at least mine were. 

"Who...the fuck....was....that?" Reed asked, once he'd partially caught his breath. 

"I'm pretty sure it was the club owner." I reply pulling, Lester off my back, letting him flop to the ground.

Now Reed was beginning to laugh again. Hands plastered firmly to his knees, head low as if he would fall over. I plopped down on the ground letting out a couple snickers myself. More for Reed's undone clothes then anything else. Shirt half hanging out of his still not buckled pants, jeans wet with beer, and hair so disheveled it looked like a wig. He looks like shit but I bet we all do. 

"Lookit!" Lester yelps, surprising me because honestly I thought he'd gone into some kinda shock. "Sky... looks dark.." He commented 

"Oh shit.. We gotta get back.. Get back to Cyrus."

* 

I had already begun to sober up by the time we reached Cyrus' house. Though I can't really say the same for Reed and Lester. It was practically night time, the temperature outside had dropped dramatically and we're all standing outside the huge doors without jackets because I decided to listen to Reed about the weather. Fuck my life. 

I'm surprised we got here in one peice if I'm being honest. Cyrus had offered to drive us (or well to have his driver drive us) but we'd declined. Reed and Lester staggering around like they were straight out of the walking dead. Not to mention how hungry Reed gets when he's fucked up and him trying to go into basically any food place we passed. 

"Try to have even the smallest semblance of dignity." You know what I might have walked off most of the alcohol. 

"We'll.. b..be fine.." Lester retorts, one hand leaning on the huge door next to me as Reed chuckled about absolutely nothing. This is gonna be a fucking disaster. 

I knock on the door, regardless of the fact that there's a brass knocker right above the peep hole. Ok I might still be a little drunk.. What feels like hours later the door is tugged open only for Lester to go flopping inside, shoulder connecting harshly with the floor. Normally I'd help him up but I've been half carrying half dragging his ass for what was probably miles and I'm not about to do it again. 

"Are you boy's ok?" Asked Cyrus' dad, looking between the three of us with concern etched into his features. 

I don't even get a chance to answer, before Reed pushed past me, ultimately tripping and grabbing onto.. Well I don't know Cyrus last name so.. He fell into Cyrus' dad. "Shhh we are drunk! Don't tell TJ I told you!" Reed remarked with a hearty laugh. 

The older male pushed Reed up off him holding him at arms length. "Hold on a second, Cyrus!" He called, I quickly move closer, almost stepping on Lester, but I really could care less. 

"Please! Mr... Cyrus can't know.. He can't!" He's probably gonna know as soon as he sees us honestly. I can't believe I actually feel sorry about getting happier. But Cyrus probably planned the entire dinner today. Us being drunk will definitely fuck it up, he wants to impress those snobby little brats he has for friends too. 

At this point I've got Reed around the waist, while also trying to haul Lester's fat ass off the ground. I can hear Cyrus' voice in the hall and I flinch like I did in the bathroom, and the guest room. 

"Yes daddy?" 

The older male stared at me for a couple seconds, before wrenching his head away and back to I'm guessing Cyrus. "Get Janine to put out the good serving bowls." A couple seconds passed and faint footsteps could be heard moving back towards.. I'm guessing the kitchen. 

"Come on inside." Cyrus' dad remarked, his tone stern in a way it hadn't been when we first met. "Go upstairs and wash up, then come down looking a little more presentable." Even though he was gesturing to all of us he was mostly looking at Reed, which I don't even slightly blame him for. 

I nodded barely letting the door close behind me before I was dragging Reed and Lester up the stairs. Mostly Lester though because Reed was surprisingly easy. 

Regardless we made it up the stairs in one peice. I quickly grabbed a new pair of clothes from the drawer Cyrus labeled as mine, moving to Lester's drawer and doing the same for him where he was currently seated on his bed groaning and holding his head.

"Less sitting, more getting ready!" I snapped, he practically tossed himself up moving away from me to get dressed. I was half way into a new shirt when Reed came crashing into the room with a glass of water. Seating himself on his own bed while sipping the liquid slowly. 

"Why didn't you get all of us water?" I asked, finally shrugging my head up through my shirt. 

"I didn't know I was supposed to." And as usual I have to everything my damn self.

I rush to the bathroom filling up two empty cups (which is where Reed got it from) with water quickly downing the first cup, before rushing into the guest room with a cup for Lester. Luckily Reed was at least somewhat dressed and Lester had everything but shoes on when the sound of footsteps filled the hall outside our room. The steps were soon replaced with a voice I could only regonize as Cyrus. 

"Guys? Are you coming down?" I see he learned his lesson about knocking then barging in... 

"Yeah yeah! We'll be down in a second!" I yelled back. 

More like an hour. Reed's having trouble putting on his shirt, (and I refuse to help him). While Lester is barely sitting up. 

"Will you guys come on! Hurry up!" I've always been the fastest to do everything in our group. Getting sober was unfortunately along the same lines. Cause everyone knows the first one of the group to get sober has to be the one to take care of the absolute train wrecks they have for friends. 

* 

"Cyrus, would you mind passing the mashed potatoes?" 

"I need chickpeas like asap!" 

"How's the steak?" 

So dinner has been ok so far. Nothing gone up in flames. Noone's dead. Granted it's only been 3 minutes but honestly this is the normal amount of time it takes for things to go wrong. At least for us that is. But right now everything is pretty quiet. I mean Lester looks like he'll heel over any second and Reed's getting slightly more sober every passing minute. Ok we're good, we are- 

"So TJ was it." Fucking hell. "What was it like living... Where was it again?" 

"Saltwater.." I reply briefly poking the food on my plate instead of paying attention to Buffy. While her question was harmless I feel like she'd rather be asking a cat to claw her eyes from their sockets. 

"Saltwater? That's a city?" Andi laughed, devoid of any empathy. 

"Town. Actually, me, Reed and Lester all grew up there every since we were kids." I had this tiny headache creeping up in the back of my skull ever since we left the bar and it went away for a little while, only to come back now that this dinner started. 

"Oh that's cool!" Cyrus dad chimed in. "So like everyone knew each other! Well then you must have had so many loved ones back home!" 

"Loved ones is too strong of a term, more like people you don't quite wish would fuck off." 

"Language." Cyrus' dad retorts. I don't bother apologizing and instead return to staring at the plate in front of me with disinterest. I don't need to be looking at Andi or Buffy to know they're whispering to Cyrus and judging me. 

"What about you Reed?" Cyrus begins, turning to the blond next to me. "Did you have anyone you really cared about in Saltwater?" 

"My... Mom.." Oh fuck no... No no no not now! Everytime he comes down from drinking he gets all sloppy and whiny. 

Since Cyrus already knows the story he just turns to me with a scared expression and I toss him back a look of confusion. 

"She should've stayed!" Reed whined loudly, banging his fork on the table like a goddamned idiot. If anyone wants to rob this house or lightning chooses to strike this place and turn out all the lights, trust me I'll be using it as my escape. 

"Will you please calm down." I whisper, not doing much of anything to actually shut Reed up. I swear he's bipolar! 

"I'm sorry! I shouldn't have said anything! I didn't mean to make you think about your mom!" For once this dinner Andi looks mildly concerned but I mean so does Cyrus' dad. Though it's definitely mildly concerned in a different way. 

"Did she pass?" Buffy asks soothingly. What does Reed balling like a fucking moron get them off or something?! 

Cyrus is quick to interject, "No no.. It's not-" I wave my hand under my chin and he immediately shuts up, jaw clamping shut. 

Someone please just change the goddamn subject! 

"If he doesn't want to discuss it with us we can't make-" 

"She left us!" 

Please just fucking end my miserable existence. 

"Left who?" Andi asked as if this was really a conversation that needed to continue. 

"She left me with that stupid old man! My dad! The dumb idiot couldn't even take care of a goldfish!" Reed exclaimed. I wonder if I can leave now with enough time to rebuild my life without anyone I once knew. 

"But he took care of you right?" At this point Cyrus looks like he'd rather be shaving his eyebrows then being here, Cyrus' dad looks like he really doesn't understand teenagers, which he probably doesn't. Buffy looks confused as to how we all got here, and Andi looks like she honestly wants to pat Reed's head. 

"I haven't seen her forever!" Reed replied ignoring Cyrus' dad's question. 

"Wait! Now Saltwater sounds familiar!" Buffy exclaimed suddenly everyone at the table turning to her at once. "Is that the town that you were telling us about Cyrus?" 

Now Cyrus is shaking his head extremely fast and honestly her spilling the beans about where we live might save this dinner. "Is that the one with that gay mom! Who left to start a new life with her wife?!" Buffy asked, smile wide as hell from discovering a bit of our past. 

"My mother was not gay! She was straight! She was supposed to take care of our family! But no she fucked off and left me!" 

As if Reed's outburst hadn't fucked up the atmosphere enough on it's own Lester chose this moment to finally puke his guts out. All over his own plate and a bit of it splashing onto mine. Not like I was going to eat the rest of it but still... 

* 

At the first opportunity I left the house. Went to go sit on the grass just out back of Cyrus' huge home. No jacket again despite the weather. 

I didn't think any of this through. I just didn't. Reed and Lester have been and will always be my family but fuck I'm basically living with them now. Like yeah sure back home we spent more time with each other than any other people, but I didn't even properly estimate just how much time I was gonna end up spending with their annoying little habits too. Plus living with Cyrus and Buffy (kinda) Andi (kinda) Cyrus' dad and of course his mom when she comes home tomorrow. 

What the fuck did I get myself into. 

"Hey." I turn to see Cyrus standing next to me. He's wearing the same coat he was when we met. 

"Hey." I reply 

"Here I bought you this." He hands me my jacket which I'm pretty sure was hanging in the closet of the guest room. Before I can say anything he adds, "I don't want you to be cold." 

I give him the best smile I can right now. "Thanks." I quickly slip my arms into the sleeves lavishing in the warmth it manages to have from being inside before joining me out in the cold. 

"No problem." He states "Is that patch of grass taken?" He points to the place next to me and I smirk gesturing with my head to the spot next to me. He takes it without much time for me to process. 

We sit in silence for a little bit of time and I have admit it's so nice. The stars are so much brighter out here, and the darkness of the sky just flops over everything perfectly. Like a galactic blanket or something. 

"I'm sorry about dinner." I finally say, not wanting him to feel awkward. 

"I'm sorry too." 

I snicker turning to look at him. "What for?" 

"I don't know. It's my automatic response to anything that went poorly." 

We both laugh and I smile turning my head to look at him. "But I have a real reason to apologize." 

He raises an eyebrow staring at me, "And what would that be?" 

"Reed was drunk." He blinks at me almost like he's confused, "We all were, I just happened to sober up faster. I'm super sorry about all this. Reed's normally not that emotional." 

He stays quiet for a second and I grind my teeth together, wonder how mad he is. It'd make sense if he wanted us out now. I mean we messed up his dinner and made his friends hate us- 

"It's ok." He remarks "I'll forgive you." 

"You'll forgive me? Like you haven't yet?" 

He nods. "Yes I'll forgive you under one condition of the you currently owe me because you're sleeping in my house and making me look bad in front of my friends." 

I laugh again rolling my eyes, "Yeah no, way to kick me when I'm down." The wind picks up and his hair flies back and forth slapping against his forehead. "What is it?" 

"Take me for a ride on your motorcycle tomorrow."


	8. Sunrise. Long drive.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tyrus gets to spend the day together.

I'm pretty sure, Reed and Lester have pretty bad hangovers, judging by the way they're laying in bed. Reed with a couple pillows over his face and Lester face down in the sheets, in a way that should be concerning, judging completely on his body barely moving. 

Me, I have a mild headache, but it's probably more from Reed's bitch fest last night, then an actual hangover.

And every couple minutes somebody runs by like they're on fire, trying to get things together for Cyrus' mom's arrival. At least I'm guessing that's what they're doing. Cyrus' mom must be a big deal. 

"Guys, get up!" Cyrus yells, ambushing the door. He's so tiny, yet I'm pretty sure that door was about to come off it's hinges. 

I sit up like I just woke up like a five year long nap, and honestly that's how I feel. Meanwhile Lester merely mumbles into the bedding, and Reed doesn't even acknowledge that he's still living. 

"Guys, come on please. My mom's gonna be here any minute! We're all having breakfast downstairs, and she's gonna be a lot harder to please then daddy.." 

I shift pretty much all the sheets in my wake, as I move myself off the bed. Cyrus looks about ready to vibrate out of his skin. And if I'm being completely honest I'm starting to worry about this woman myself. 

"Don't worry Cyrus. We'll all be up and down stairs in a minute." 

"In the outfits, I brought for you guy's." He pointed towards the closest with concern still lighting up those doe brown eyes. 

"Yes. I promise." And with those last words he slipped out the door, kinda like a tiny kitten that fell in a puddle. 

I don't know why I promised Cyrus anything. Lester's impossible to move when he's hung over, and Reed's just impossible. Might as well get dressed myself before I try to tackle dumb and dumber. 

Cyrus brought us a couple outfits since we "moved in," a ton of which make me feel even more like I don't belong here. These clothes could probably be sold for the same price as a house in Saltwater. The clothes Cyrus is nagging about though, are the white button up with the snazzy looking black blazer, and black pants. All with the price tag I refuse to look at, still flopping around, as I slip my arms into the shirt and then the blazer. 

"Guys, come on get up." I really don't want Cyrus to come back in here, or anyone else for that matter, so getting these two out of bed is imperative. I don't bother changing out of the boxers I slept in, tossing the white t-shirt (that I owned before living here), onto the bed precariously. 

This time Reed rolled half way off the bed groaning like a broken faucet or something. "My head's gonna fucking burst if I go down stairs." Such a drama queen I swear. 

"Then don't get brain matter all over Ms. Goodman's eggs." Cyrus told me his last name the night before, along with the amount of unnecessary money that goes into him having a driver, despite him having a valid driver's license himself. 

Reed just groaned almost flopping onto the floor. I quickly caught him pushing him back up onto the bed from under his arms, (so that I could get a good hand hold), before thrusting him up into the air, swinging his legs off the bed and pushing him towards the closet. He almost face planted on the boxes in the closet (the one's that were here when we first moved in), hitting his arm on the closet door and sinking down to his knees soon after. The hanger with his clothes immediately fell soon after, folding over his limp body like a blanket. 

Fucking idiot. 

I turn to Lester who's already climbing off the bed. Not very fast but a hang over will do it to you. 

"I'll get ready.. I'll get ready.." He remarks, almost falling to his knees as he pushed himself off the bed. 

I would help them get dressed but nothing in our friendship obligates me to touch their bare chests. I swear when Cyrus comes sprawling in here this time he looks ready to explode into tiny Cyrus confetti. He's so red and his brown eyes are flickering with fear and anxiousness, his chest is rising and falling so fast I'm almost ready to sit him down to keep him from having a heart attack. 

"What is happening in here?!" He screeches, causing both Lester and Reed to groan in unison. I push Cyrus back, through the still open bedroom door, making sure it clicks when I close it. 

"They have really bad hangovers, so they'll be a while." 

Cyrus is practically vibrating through his skin, I can almost see the thought process in his brain when he says, "Then you come downstairs, you're ready!" 

The door downstairs clicks and randomly like puppets being dragged along by a string, Cyrus' dad, Andi and Buffy all appear down by the staircase. Without any warning I'm being dragged down their too only coupled with a short, "Come on!" By Cyrus. 

I fall in line with everyone else just as the door opens then a very young looking woman. Actually younger then I thought she'd be, too young to be a mom if I'm being honest. She's sweating a little and her hair flops a bit as she picks up her luggage, not getting too far with it before her husband is eagerly helping. 

Everyone else just kinda floats over to her, in a robot like fashion with short greetings of, "How was your flight?" And "You look great today." 

"Thank you, thank you!" She chirps as if she's bowing for a show stopping performance instead of just entering her house. 

Cyrus tugs on my blazer sleeve and I keen following him to this very bright looking woman. "Ah, hello honey." She coos as we approach. 

"Morning mom." Cyrus responds mechanically. She moves closer giving his hair a brush over with her fingers. 

"And who's this?" She asks him while looking at me. 

I would introduce myself but Cyrus has already beaten me to the punch. "This is TJ. He's a friend." 

"Hello." She states shortly giving me a once over glance before not so subtly stating. "You have so many friends and yet not one girlfriend." She tsk's cupping Cyrus' cheek before straightening her stance. "Remind me to set you up with this girl Tiffany I met. She lives miles away but you two could easily face time." 

I raise an eyebrow first at Ms. Goodman and then at Cyrus who has his head lowered. If he had a tail I'd definitely be between his legs. 

"Well breakfast is ready correct? I'm famished from the plane and exhausted from the entire trip." She says shortly with a clap, already making her way towards the kitchen. "Set those upstairs hun!" Voice directed towards Mr. Goodman. 

There's about four or five bags there, all of which are kinda huge. Mr. Goodman's barely got them away from the door when he says, "Would you mind taking care of these Cyrus?" Not really asking because he's already half way towards the kitchen. 

Cyrus gives off a brief sigh moving to pick up the heavy items. Just from meeting this once woman I feel like this isn't the first time Cyrus has had to move her shit with no help once so ever. Which compels me to say, "Need some help?" 

Cyrus' smile is brief, reflective and he almost immediately replies with, "Yeah. Thank you." 

I grab two of the biggest bags and immediately feel like all my muscles have been ripped apart similarly to peices of loose leaf. For fucks sake what does she have in here? Poseidon's trident?! No way Cyrus would've been able to take all this shit up by himself! Even as I think this he's barely dragging two smaller suitcases, half carrying/ half dragging them across the ground. 

I set the two bags I was not really carrying down, laying them against the banister of the stairs. Both of us are heaving without actually doing much work yet. "Do you think we could just.. Bump them up?" 

"No! No no no no no way!" 

I practically flop onto the floor, "Why not?" 

"Mom will freak out! No! This.. This.. Briefcase costs more then almost all the coats I own... If one scratch is on it I'll never hear the end of it.. Hanukkah will go by, Thanksgiving, New Years, and for the rest of my days I'll still be hearing about it. We. Can. Not. Bump. This. stuff. up." 

I think Cyrus is trying to beat Reed for most dramatic this morning. 

"Well then can't we pawn this off on someone else?" 

"I can't do that with a clear conscious, just lift with your back and try not to scuff the leather." 

I almost groan but refrain as I see the absolute puppy dog look on Cyrus' face. Why does he have to pull those absolutely sappy looking faces that could make a murderer cry. 

* 

I feel like I've been tugging for hours. Half lifting/ half dying/ half pulling these goddamned bags up the motherfucking stairs. This house has about 25 different people, all specializing in how to do different shit, while also getting paid to do that shit and yet we had to chug these things up the equivalent of four flights of fucking stairs. Fucking great. 

Once I've finally caught my breath. And pretty much melted into a puddle of water on the floor, I look up at Cyrus who's sitting on his parents bed. Which I have to say is almost as big as the guest room. Like seriously both his parents could sleep in this bed, with the kitchen staff, Cyrus's driver, and a traveling circus with room left over. 

"We should probably get back downstairs." I'm still panting even though I'm pretty sure my heart stopped beating forever ago and I'm not actually alive anymore. "Or maybe I should go see if Reed and Lester are still alive." 

Cyrus doesn't respond. Just plays with his thumbs like he did when we first met in the restaurant. 

"Hey, you ok?" 

He doesn't look at me as he whispers back a small, "Yeah." 

"Ok that was a stupid question. I should've asked why you look so defeated." This time he does look at me. Doe eyes sparking with sudden interest, before they're plummeting away down to the floor. I watch him make a fist within his hand before he says, 

"My mom's... What you call.. Brutally honest... If you couldn't tell... I mean I don't think she knows she's being... Well that she's practically commanding people's lives... It's part of her job so she brings it home and it sucks.." 

"Maybe she doesn't know cause.. Noone's ever told her." I hear him suck in a breath, just before his head shakes violently. I'm almost worried he'll fly off the bed. 

"If you're suggesting I do it then you're insane." 

"I'm not saying like now or anything.. Just get around to it at some point in your life." I state rubbing my knees as I stand. "Maybe during one of those holiday's you listed off earlier." 

He snorts and then. The tiniest laugh escapes his lips. More like a chuckle. Almost a giggle, and so so soft. 

"We should go downstairs. Before she comes to us." I nod, following Cyrus all the way down to the dining room. 

"I should've mentioned earlier, don't tell her where you're really from or she'll never let you stay." 

I don't have time to ask what he means because we're in the dining room, and they see us, and Cyrus is going around the huge table to sit next to his mother. "So nice of you two to finally come down." She jabs as soon as we're seated. Cyrus just stares down at his fork, waiting to be served. I give her a small look but it goes pretty much unnoticed as she's already onto Andi. 

"So you were talking about?.." 

"Design." The short haired girl remarks eagerly. "Last time you were here I designed your webpage, well I figured I could help you make pretty cards or maybe fix up your old briefcase." As Andi is talking a server is already shoveling eggs and pancakes onto my plate, both of which still have steam rising from the top. 

"Oh honey. I think I told you I went with a different web design a little bit afterwards." Ms. Goodman replied, not looking even the slightest bit sympathetic. "I'm sorry but that blue you chose was just far too bright and all the pages looked like a child's melted crayon box." 

Honestly I feel bad for Andi. While I don't know much about website design I know it's not exactly easy to do. "I will tell you though Andi you need another hobby, your constant need to use tape and paper plates and such was cute when you were young but it's a bit stale now." 

I looked up with enough time to see Cyrus shooting me a very uncomfortable look. No one else at the table bothered to speak which is honestly the quietest this table has been since we got here, Reed would've definitely made this more interesting. 

"Speaking of which Buffy, how's that boyfriend I never see when I'm here?" 

"He's... Not my boyfriend.. I've told you that.. He's just my friend..." 

"And apparently he's invisible because I haven't caught sight of him once." 

I just loosely hear Buffy whisper, "He's hiding from you like everyone else." And I almost snort up orange juice. 

"Though Buffy, you talk about him constantly. I don't believe for a second he's just a 'friend' as you claim." She states, air quotes around friend. "If he is real you should snatch him up before some other girl does. And when I mean snatch I don't mean into the bed. I know you teenagers and your lingo these days, don't want to give you the wrong impression." She takes a second to take a bite of her eggs and the room goes uncomfortably quiet again. 

I can't believe there's actually a person who lives here that's more insulting then Buffy and Andi combined. Though I feel like Reed and her would get along amazingly.

"So, TA." She mispronounces somehow, making eye contact with me. 

"It's TJ." I correct. 

"Uh huh." She replies as if she doesn't care. And honestly I believe she doesn't. 

"What's your story hmm? How close are you and my son?"

I feel like she's trying to find something to drag me down with as soon as she speaks but Saltwater's prepared me for many a insults from any and everyone. "We met not too long ago." And I instantly know I've said something wrong by the sheer terror striking Cyrus' face. 

"Oh. And he invited you here?" She's not even subtle as she leans into Cyrus asking him an inaudible question. Suddenly I'm glad Cyrus picked out my clothes this morning. 

"Well we get along extremely well." Judging by Cyrus' expression any surprises like Lester and Reed finally strolling downstairs will definitely kill this breakfast more then it already has.please let them stay up there like the dead people they've been all morning. 

"I'm sure." She grills with a deafening stare, (but I've had worse). "Where'd you two meet?" 

"A diner." I admit honestly. Everyone in the room is staring at me, like they're all worried for me and with less than an hour around this woman I'm starting to think they have every right to be. 

"So, you brought home a random person from a diner." Ms. Goodman asks sternly, head already 180 degrees away from me. Boiling Cyrus to a crisp. 

"Dear, he's not a bad kid. I've been talking with him and-" 

"You knew about this?" Her head did a spin like a top, now pointed towards her husband. And just looking at that face I now know where Cyrus gets it from. 

"I... Well um.." 

"Mom. He's harmless." Cyrus retorts, somehow mustering up some bravery. 

"You don't know that!" She shrieks, I can practically hear Reed and Lester groan from here. "You can't go picking up strangers! You can't go running off by yourself! I know about you running off with your driver!" 

If I could melt into this chair I would. "And you! I ask you to watch him while I'm gone! Make sure he's safe and you can't even do that!" She turns on her husband, the poor man sinking in his chair faster then the titanic. 

"I.. Can pick my friends..." 

"Clearly you can't. Your last good choices were Buffy and Andi." She snorts, it seems less like a compliment then it sounds. "I'm staying around longer to properly raise you, since I clearly can't trust anyone else to." 

"Mom.. I'm almost 18-" 

"Finish up your food sweetie, it's gonna get cold." 

* 

Wow. 

The only reason I try not to ever call a woman a bitch is solely because of Amber. She's the one that told me it was a derogatory term towards woman. But wow, Cyrus' mom really is a full blown- 

"TJ." I came back up to the guest room after barely even eating breakfast, to mostly watch Reed and Lester sleep face down in their beds. " I gotta get out." Cyrus whispers "I need out." 

"What? What's going on." 

"I just... I can't be here. I need some air..." 

"Ok." I say without really thinking about it. "Where do you wanna go?" 

He settles, thoughts escaping like comic thought bubbles. "Where ever it is. I wanna ride your bike." He smirks. 

I give a soft chuckle, "You're gonna be hung up on that forever aren't you." 

* 

I've never had anyone on the back of my bike before. It's weird. I'm not really uncomfortable as I thought I would be though. Cyrus wearing Reed's helmet and gear, gripping onto my waist in a very ticklish kinda way. Reminding me of how koalas hold their young a little bit. His hands are so tiny, just like the rest of him. 

But everything's still surprisingly freeing. We exited the driveway headed up and out of Aliayas and now we're just kinda crushing along. I wonder if Cyrus finds this as amazing as I do. 

I feel the hands around me loosen a little and I slow down, judging the shifting as Cyrus taking off Reed's helmet. "When do I get to drive?" He asks, well more like whines. 

"Geez you're so impatient." I laugh "Fine." I pull over, luckily where we are there aren't too many cars and this stop is easy. 

He smirks all toothy with the helmet off, pushing himself up to the handlebars with my body gone from the bike. "You're a beginner so take it slow." I suggest "And also my motorcycle is incredibly valuable to me." 

"Yeah I know." He jokes, he's surprisingly quick to put his feet where they need to go. "Um.." 

"Oh." I postion his hands and he flinched away a little but tries to relax, like I won't notice. Cheeks turning the same pink from that day he fell on me in the bathroom. "Pull, like this to stop." I explain 

His eyes trail over the brakes and the helmet in his lap. He quickly breathes out nodding again like he's confirming it for himself. 

"Ok. So like this?" I don't get a chance to tell him to put his helmet back on before he's jutting forward, screaming as he goes. 

"Cyrus slow down!" I scream, running after him. He pulls on the breaks incredibly hard almost flying over the handlebars. I'm just in time to stop him from accidentally crushing his leg as my motorcycle falls over. 

"Oh god! I'm so sorry!" I'm actually not mad, more worried that his foot would be crushed if anything. I remember when that happened to Lester. 

"Are you ok?" For some reason he looks surprised that I asked. 

"No. No. Yeah I'm ok." 

I nod picking up the helmet off the ground quickly passing it over to him. "Ok enough to give it another try?" 

His eyes spill over the bike and then back at me, arms crossed across his chest like he's unsure. "Trust me." 

His cheeks puff out in sheer determination as he mounds my motorcycle. I give him an encouraging smile, placing the helmet on his head with a soft tap and a quick thumbs up. 

The motorcycle is heavy but I'm pretty sure Cyrus can handle it after carrying his mom's heavy ass bags up all those stairs. This time when Cyrus pulls off he's slightly more comfortable, only skittering a little, stopping twice to brace himself. And of course coming back around he kinda pushes the bike with his feet but it's amazingly fast progress for a beginner. 

"You did it!" I high five him and he smiles so brightly as soon as the helmets off. Arms flopping over the handlebars. 

"Wow that's exhilarating!" He breathes 

"Yeah it is. Next I'll teach you wheelies!" 

"Woah woah slow down!" 

* 

"Did you actually like anything about Saltwater?" Cyrus asks, eyes stuck on the sky above us. It's pretty cloudy out not much he could actually see. "You know since you always talk about it like it was the worst place ever." 

"It was... But I liked my sister Amber." 

"Does she miss you? I mean did you tell her where you were going?" 

"I couldn't... She would've tried to stop me." 

"Then maybe it wasn't a good idea." He replies. "I mean if there's even one person who doesn't think you should do something maybe you shouldn't." 

"I couldn't stay in saltwater. None of us could. Where am I supposed to go when the place I grew up in just brings out the worst in people." 

His eyes flicker towards me and then away. "Do you plan on ever seeing her again?" 

"Yeah. Of course, hopefully around the same time you tell your mom she's a little too wild." 

"Aww TJ, I thought you said you wanted to see your sister again." 

We both laugh in unison and I spin my helmet around in my lap. "The truth always comes out you know." 

"I'm aware." Cyrus chuckles. "It's just not the time." 

We both stay quiet for a bit just enjoying the hums of cars driving past us. "Though I was telling the truth, at breakfast I mean." 

"About?" 

"Regardless of what my mom thinks.... You're my friend."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you guys so much for all the positive feedback last chapter! It really makes me so happy that you all love this fanfic so much!


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